#reef waverly

[fromthedarkesthour]

[fromthedarkesthour]

ASH KIM & REEF WAVERLY ICC | WINTER 107 ADD

Ash: With a heavy sigh, Ash picked up her phone and punched in the familiar numbers as she did everyday. Today was the day. They had put off talking about what had happened at Yule long enough by discussing their families and personal Yule celebrations, but the time did that had passed. Her heart hammered in her chest as she listened to the line ring then click to life. “Hey,” she chirped, trying to sound cheery when she was feeling anything but as she pulled her knees up to her chest where she sat in her chair. “How’s your day been? Anything exciting happen?”

Reef: Reef was walking into the kitchen to make a pot of coffee, listening to hear if he could hear movement from upstairs. He just put Rain to bed and sometimes, the girl got back up and came downstairs. As he poured himself a cup, the phone started to ring. "Ash, hey." Anxiety settled in his chest, but he pushed it away. "Not really, took Rain down to the beach after dinner. She wanted to build sandcastles today." He sat down in one of the chairs, holding his cup of coffee in one hand. "Anything interesting happen in your day?"

Ash: “Oh, that sounds fun,” she whispered thoughtfully. “I’m sure Rain’s castles turned out much better than yours,” she teased but it felt almost too forced at the moment. She let out a sigh and shook her head though he couldn’t see it. “Huh uh. Grim tried to eat a sock, but that was about the only exciting thing that happened here.” Ash fell quiet then, her thumb raising to her lips as she bit on the nail for a moment. “I guess we’ve put it off long enough now, huh?”

Reef: "Hey, I taught her all her skills," he said, but even his rebuttal sounded forced. "That's why I don't have dog." He paused and took a sip out of his coffee before setting the mug down on an end table. "I guess we have," he said with a sigh. "What were we thinking, Ash?"

Ash: This time when she let out the short laugh, it wasn’t forced and she followed it with another sigh. “We weren’t, obviously.” She was quiet again, desperate to end it there, hopeful that they could just brush it off and forget it was even a thing, but it was too serious for that. “What… where do we go from here? I mean… do we even have to go anywhere from here?” she asked, surprising herself by how small her voice sounded saying the words.

Reef: "Obviously not." Reef cradled the phone in his right hand, his eyes looking down at his left and seeing the mountain surrounding his left ring finger. "Ash..." he had to pause. He had been trying to avoid this conversation for so long. "We have to get it annulled."

Ash: She wasn’t sure what she expected. This was Reef. She knew him too well and knew he wouldn’t allow it to go on. And as much as if pained her, she understood. “Is… I…” she sighed into the phone as she pressed her face into her palm and nodded her head, her voice coming out small again as she answered. “Okay, if that’s what you want, okay. I get it.” But she didn’t. Not really. And now that she had spoken the words, they tasted foul in her mouth. “But… why? It’s just a piece of paper. What’s really changing if we do or don’t?”

Reef: He stayed quiet for a moment, waiting for the argument that he was sure would come. When she said okay instead, he stayed silent for a little longer. No, he was not sure if that was what he wanted, but he could not say that to Ash. "If someone finds out... if the wrong person finds out, Ash. Then what then? What do we do then?"

Ash: “I don’t know, Reef. I don’t know the answer to that because we can live our whole lives asking that,” she sighed again, trying not to let her voice rise. She didn’t want a fight. Not now. Not about this. “It’s… no, it’s not fine. I’m not going to lie to you and say it is. I don’t want to. I don’t want to annull it, Reef, but you know I will do anything you ask of me to protect you and the girls. So if this is what it takes, then I’ll do it,” she whispered as a tear slid down her cheek.

Reef: He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose as he listened. There was something about the lack of fight that bothered him. He was not sure why or how to even make this better. "I know, but I don't know what else to do, Ash. This isn't because I don't love you. I do, I love you." Another sigh left his lips. "I'm not just protecting them, I'm trying to protect you too."

Ash: “I’m not afraid, Reef. I’m tired. I’m so fucking tired of having to sacrifice things that I want and desire just because someone might come for me when that’s all I’ve done the last twenty-two years. They’ve already come for me more than once. I don’t care. I’m not afraid for myself, you don’t have to protect me,” she responded calmly, swiping at the tears on her cheeks. “It’s different for you. I can take care of myself. Cole is an adult. He can make his own decisions. I don’t have kids to look after. So I can protect myself. Don’t use me as an excuse in this argument when I know better than anyone what I really want and that’s you, Reef. I don’t care if that’s only three or four times a year. I don’t care if it’s less. I went years being okay with just being by your side as a friend and if that’s what it comes to again, I’ll take what I can get but please, don’t use me as an excuse for this. Please,” she begged, her voice crackling slightly as the word left her.

Reef: "I'm not -" he groaned and rubbed the bridge of his nose before dropping his hand away. "I know you can. I'm not trying to use you as an excuse. I'm not trying to make up excuses." He used his shoulder to keep the phone up to his ear. His right hand traced the tattoo on his left hand absent mindedly. "I don't think we can go back to just being friends anymore. I just... I don't know how to make a marriage work, Ash. I've ruined any relationship I've been in."

Ash: A quick, short snort left her lips. “Don’t you think there might have been a reason for that, Reef?” she whispered softly. “The same reason why I never got into any in the first place? Because there was always someone else?” She was quiet again, her hand moving away from her face finally as she looked down at the tattoo on her finger. “Look, I’m… I’m not going to stop you. If you want to annul it, okay. What I mean is if that’s what you feel needs to be done, okay. Nothing is going to change for me, though. I’m still going to lose my breath when you look at me and I’m the only one you see in the room. I’m not going to stop holding your hand in public or in private because I like the way it swallows mine. I’m still going to call you and bug the shit out of you every chance I get. And I’m still going to love you because that’s all I know how to do. But I’ll do it for you if that’s what you decide. But can… can I make a request? A compromise?”

Reef: He kept rubbing the tattooed on ring on his hand, leaning back in his chair and closing his eyes. "It's always been you," he whispered. He always tried to deny it, but he couldn't, not right now with her being so honest. He took in a shaky breath, wanting to take it all back and tell her to forget it. He knew he couldn't, not when this could endanger both of them. "What is it? What is your compromise?"

Ash: Ash was still and quiet as she tried to piece her request together carefully, not wanting to waste the opportunity she had. “From tomorrow until the day after the victory ball, let it be real. Tomorrow when I wake up, let me be your wife until the day after the ball. Tell me you love me when we talk and the girls aren’t around. Tease me mercilessly like you would if I was there with you. The moments when you sleep, hold onto something and think of it as me. Then go to the ball with me and let me have that one night in person and treat me like that’s what I am — your wife,” she sighed a shaky breath, feeling both relieved to have gotten the request out and terrified. “Don’t make your decision until then. Let me just be blissfully unaware of it for these few short weeks instead of dragging my feet and dreading the moment I’ll get to see you again, because that’s the last thing I want. I don’t want to ever dread seeing you. So just give me this one request? After that, I’ll sign the papers if you want me to and we can… just… go back to how things were.”

Reef: There is a long pause from the other end of the phone as he weighed her compromise. Part of him knew that there was no going back to how things were. They never went back to how things had been in the first place. The other part of him kept telling them that they couldn't keep it going. He opened his eyes, staring at a point on the wall. What harm could it do at this point? "Ash, I know you are trying to make me change my mind..." he sighed. "But okay, I'll do it and then after the ball..."

Ash: She bit down on her lip as her head tilted back and she looked up at the ceiling. “Maybe. Maybe that is what I’m doing, but I also meant what I said too. If I know that’s how it’s going to end I won’t want to see you and I don’t want that. And maybe I’m also being selfish because if this is the only chance I’m given then I want to take it. But I promise you, if you still feel the same way I understand. I won’t stop it and I won’t be angry with you. So just… try to enjoy the next few weeks? For me?”

Reef: "You have a deal," he said softly. He reached over to take his cup of coffee and readjusted the phone. "We'll see how this goes. You know me, I enjoy any time I get to talk to you on the phone, Ash."

Ash: “Thank you,” she whispered softly as she squeezed her eyes shut. She felt Grim shift at the foot of her chair and looked down at his sleeping form. “Me too. I always have. You’re lucky I love you. I don’t stay awake so late to talk to just anyone, you know?”

Reef: He relaxed a little more in his chair, not all of his anxiety dissipating, but he would do this for her. He smiled a little from his side. "I know, but you don't need to stay up with me. You should get some sleep. It's late there. I'll talk to you tomorrow, okay?"

Ash: She sighed into the phone. “Mmm, but you know I always will.” She sat up in the chair as she looked over at the wall. “Yeah, I’ll call you in the morning. Try not to get too bored until then,” she laughed softly. “Goodnight, Reef.”

Reef: "I know and I love that you would if I asked." He paused, hesitant to hang up the phone. "Goodnight, Ash." Another pause. "I love you." And with that he hangs up the receiver.

[fromthedarkesthour]

ASH KIM & REEF WAVERLY ICC | WINTER 105 ADD

Ash: A heavy sigh leaves Ash’s lips as she plops down into the chair by her phone, wincing slightly at the pain from the act. She punches in the all too familiar numbers and listens to it ring before there’s a click. “Reef?”

Reef: The moment the phone starts ringing, Reef picks it up, knowing it is either the Capitol or Ash, hoping for the latter. "About damn time you call. A whipping, really?"

Ash: “…nice to talk to you again too.” She rolls her eyes even though she knows he can’t see. “Sorry I didn’t call sooner, I’ve been a bit… busy… as you clearly know already.”

Reef: He sighs, trying to calm down all the emotions he's feeling, but failing. "I do. Ajax had to call me and tell me what happened." There is a short pause. "You could have told me earlier that day when we talked that you were doing something that night in case something happened."

Ash: “And risk someone showing up at your door asking questions? It’s better that you don’t know, Reef.” An irrational fear, she knew. “It’s not exactly something you just pop up with either. ‘Oh, hey, I’m going out on a mission tonight that should go fine but just in case, now you know from thousands of miles away.’”

Reef: "Better? How is being left in the dark any better? I know I can't do anything from here, but what if something worse happened? What if you died?" he asks, his voice already starting to raise.

Ash: “What difference would it have made? I tell you, I die. I don’t tell you, I die. Either way you’re going to have the same reaction. We’re not going to say ‘well, in case you die, it’s been nice knowing ya,’ every time I go out and I’m not going to tell you every time I go on a mission, Reef. You’re not my keeper,” she bit back, holding in the anger starting to boil up in her.

Reef: "I'm not saying you have to do that, Ash, but I don't understand why you told me nothing at all. It's not like I don't know what you're involved in. I'm the one who found it first."

Ash: “Yes, I am aware of that but I’m also aware of the fact that you are no longer involved. If you’re going to meddle then get off the fence and do it the right way. You can’t be out of it then expect me to tell you what’s going on, Reef. You left for a reason and that’s why I didn’t tell you and why I won’t tell you in the future either. And if that’s a problem… well… you’ll just have to get over it.”

Reef: You know I can't. Not with the girls." Another long pause. "I should've never sought it out in the first place. That was my mistake."

Ash: “Oh please. Even if you didn’t seek it out, it still would have found you then. It would have found me or I would have found it on my own. And I get it. You have a family to protect. I’m not judging you for that, but if you’re going to protect them then stop meddling.” She sighs. “Why do you even care so much? All this time I’ve been part of this and doing stuff and you’ve never once said anything. Why now? Just because I was whipped? Big friggin whoop. It’s part of the job. We all know how dangerous it is going into it. I’m not quitting if that’s what you’re expecting.”

Reef: "Why do I care?" He repeats with a sigh and there is a thud from his side as he hits the wall. "Because I care about you, Ash. We have been there for each other and then, you go and do something reckless and I can't be there. I can't stop it. I'm stuck over here in Four. It's like you are trying to throw your life away."

Ash: “No, don’t pretend to care now. If you cared you would have started this conversation by asking what happened or if I was okay. You haven’t once asked, Reef. You’re just assuming you know what happened and assuming that because it’s me I must have been doing something reckless. We were set up, Reef. I wasn’t being reckless. But you know what, I don’t regret it. I would gladly take the pain again if it meant it was me instead of someone else that was with him that day. I would gladly take it again if it meant someone else’s eyes were opened to the shit hole we are living in. And if I want to throw away my life, then so be it. It’s my life to do with as I please.”

Reef: "I'm not pretending, Ash. Not with you." There is another pause as he realizes his mistake. "So you walked into a trap? There was someone else with you? You can, but if you don't believe that I care, then think about the people that do."

Ash: “I do think about them, Reef. I think about them so damn much I’m miserable. But they know what I’m doing. They know the risks that come with this. But they at least have the decency to check on me before going right into accusations and scoldings. That’s what family does.” She sighs, holding back angry tears. “I’m done talking about this. I need to go change my bandages. Priscus forbid I do something reckless and end up with an infection. Bye, Reef.” With those words she clicks the phone off and walks away.

[always-find-you]

Chapter: Two Genre: AU Hunger Games Characters: Reef Waverly Words: 1,542 PREVIOUS CHAPTERS : One

Minute by minute dragged by as Reef pondered his fate. He sealed it when he raised his hand and volunteered instead of his brother. Why? Why did he have to do that? He’d always been impulsive, but this seemed impulsive even for him. He told himself he did not get jealous. When it came to his brother, it was different. All he felt in that moment was wanting to steal the glory away from his brother. He wanted to take it all from him and wipe the smug look off his face. He thought about his brother coming home a victor and rubbing it in and it was enough to make his blood boil. He hadn’t considered the alternative. His brother could be dead at the end of it all and their family would be in mourning. Now instead of it being Dune, it was him.

Slowly, Reef lifted his head from his hands and sucked in a deep breath. He’d never known anyone who personally went into the Hunger Games, so that meant he never visited the rooms in the Justice Building. He did not even come down to collect tesserae. They did well enough without the children needing to take extra out. The chair he sat in was plush, but old. It probably saw use of a dozen other teenagers. Hell, it might have been here from the very beginning. He ran his hand over the padding. ‘I could chuck it against the wall’ he thought, but he pushed that away. Throwing a tantrum would do nothing for him.

Books lined the walls and he started to stand, thinking about perusing one before someone entered. Would that? Maybe his best friend would take time out to see him. Would his family? Or would they be far too angry to even want to see him? Reef frowned, swallowing hard against the lump forming in his throat. He did not know if he would be able to stay strong if he did not see his mother, Tide, or Cascade ever again. He needed to see them before he left. “Oh, shit, my birthday meal,” he muttered to himself. He’d forgotten about the meal his mother prepared for after the Reaping. He would not get any of those treats now and the joke about his name being pulled made his stomach sour.

The door opening snapped him out of his thoughts. He turned to see a group of familiar dark haired people shuffle into the room. The door was not even shut as Mariner rushed over to his son and grabbed him roughly on the shoulder. “What the hell did you just do, Reef?” The words were rushed and loud, causing Reef to wince and put his arms up in front of his face. Reef squeezed his eyes shut and braced himself for the punch that would surely hit him square in the face. His father had never been a violent man. Reef never remembered him raising a hand to any of his children, but what happened earlier in the town square was something that none of them had anticipated. He had gone and screwed up every plan his father made. A peacekeeper stationed at the door would have been able to stop the man, if they wanted to do so. There was a good chance they would. Why would they want an injured tribute going to the Capitol?

Reef peeked open on eye to see his father, red faced and fuming with his hand clenching and unclenching. It did not move to strike him and Reef started to relax and his arms dropped from their protective stance.

“Happy birthday to me?” he quipped as he scanned the room. His dad, his mom, Tide, Cascade. No Dune. Only four of the Waverlys were there, his brother absent from seeing him off.

A sob from the corner of the room took his attention away from his father and to his mother. Ara buried her face in her hands, her body wracked with sobs. Reef glanced down at the ground, feeling remorse and guilt for his actions. He did this. He was not the child that they sent off to train. That had been Dune and his mother made sure that Reef had been safe at home with her. He’d spent most of his childhood with her on the fishing boats, while his father showered his brother with praise. Dune would be the one to raise his hand. He would be the victor that his father hoped for.

And then, Reef went and ruined that.

He wanted to tell her that he wished he could take it all back and that he never meant to do this. He did not mean to hurt her, only Dune. He wanted to ask if his brother would show up at all. He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. It felt like the sand, dry and rough. He was going to die.

Finally, he summoned up all the confidence that he could and turned away from his father in front of him to look at his two younger siblings and his mother. Pulling his arm free from his father’s grasp, he knelt down in front of Tide and Cascade. “Don’t worry. I’ll come back. How hard could it be?” As the words left his mouth, he did not believe them, but he just had to convince everyone else. Arms latched around his neck and Reef snaked one of his around Cascade. “I have to come back for you two. Who else is going to put up with you? Dune won’t,” he said as he blinked back the tears. He could not cry in front of them. He needed to remain strong, but it was hard to do so when another pair of arms wrapped around him and he could feel his brother now hanging off him. “You two are going to have to let me go. I have the Hunger Games to win,” he joked halfheartedly. “If you took this from your brother, then you need to win,” his father said. Reef did not even deign to look up at the man. He couldn’t. Instead, he clung to his siblings and listened to them tell him how he could do it. Another sob came from above him and he untangled himself from the two children and stood back up so that he was facing his mother. “Don’t worry about me. I can do this,” he whispered, trying to keep his confidence as her blue eyes locked on his. Her hand reached out and she cupped his cheek. He thought he would break down at the touch, feeling his lip quiver. “You are foolish and impulsive and I will never understand why you raised your hand. You would have been safe. Please come home to us, Reef.” Her fingers caressed his cheek and he felt the tear slide down it. “You need to do this, but remember who you are. My caring boy who’d help anyone in need. Keep that in here,” she said, moving her hand from his cheek and placing it on his heart. He wiped at his face, ready to respond when the door opened up. “Time’s up,” the peacekeeper said roughly. He wanted to protest as his family was forced out of the room and the door shut.

Alone once more. He hated it. He stared at it for a while, moving his hand back up to wipe at the tears that started to fall. Of course, it would be his mother to make him cry. It was the last time he could do that. Going into the Hunger Games, he would need to show he was the right choice. He would have to exude the confidence that he liked to portray back home. Sometimes, his mother called it cockiness, but he could use it in his favor. The door opened again to reveal his friend and this time, he sat opposite in one of the chairs. The two of them talked about Reef’s chances and joked around about Reef flirting with the other tributes. It almost felt normal for the short time they were allowed to spend together. It was over too soon when the peacekeeper opened the door and ushered him out. Reef’s gaze went back to the door. He watched it, waiting for it to open again. His brother had to come. There would be no way that he was that angry at him that he would not wish him good luck or come to scream at him. He needed to come, though Reef was not sure what he’d say if he did. He could not trust his own mouth to say the right thing. The time ticked by. Too slowly and too quickly all at once. The door never opened again to a visitor. The next time it did, a peacekeeper motioned to him. “All right, kid, time to get you on the train to the Capitol.” The was a stone in Reef’s stomach. It felt heavy as he stood up and walked over to the man. All the energy had been sapped out of his body. This was it. He was going to the Capitol to die.

[always-find-you]

Reef’s Games, i’ll come up with a better title later

Chapter: One Genre: AU Hunger Games  Characters: Reef Waverly Words: 2,034 Summary: Reef was never supposed to volunteer. His brother was the one who was trained, but on the day of the 86th Hunger Games, Reef raised his hand instead and sent his life down a path that he’d never even considered. (This is based on a character of mine from a RP board) Chapters: One | Two

The scents of baked good filled the Waverly household as sixteen-year-old Reef bounded down the stairs and into the kitchen. Ara Waverly stood at the stove, her dark hair pulled up into a messy ponytail, tutting her tongue at something. She was cutting it close to the time of the Reaping, but that was not what had brought the teen into the kitchen. No, it was the smells that permeated the house. He tried to keep his steps light as he crept into the kitchen. He passed right behind her, giving her a sideway glance to make sure that she was not paying attention. He neared the cooling rack, the chocolate chip cookies sitting right there. The smell enticed him as he reached forward ever so slowly, his fingers inching their way to grab the cookie.

“You know they are for later, Reef Caspian Waverly,” his mother scolded without even turning around as she opened up the oven and pulled out the cupcakes, sitting the tray on the top of the oven. “You have to wait until we get home for that.” She turned around, crossing her arms over her chest, blue eyes taking in his appearance. He was already dressed in the blue shirt that was saved for Reapings. It remained untucked from his dress slacks and his hair was messy from running his fingers through it. His mother tutted her tongue again at his haphazard appearance.

“One for the walk down?” he asked as he leaned against the counter, giving her his best pleading look. “After all it is my birthday and you wouldn’t make me wait on my birthday, would you? What if my name is drawn?” It was a low tactic from the boy with his mother, knowing how he could possibly get her to cave. Then again, Reef inherited his stubbornness from somewhere. His gaze did not waver from hers, trying to see if she would give in.

She patted his cheek, having to reach up, the sixteen-year-old already having a couple inches on her. “Nice try.” She smoothed his hair down into something more manageable. “Even if it is, someone will volunteer, they always do.” She did not say what she was thinking. Reef knew it, though. That someone would be his brother, chomping at the bit to get into the arena. “Now, I need to clean up and we’ll all head down to the town square.” He opened his mouth and the woman sighed. “Fine, just one.” She moved away as he grinned and took one of the warm cookies off the rack. “And tuck in your shirt!” she called back to him as she walked out of the kitchen.

As he left the kitchen, he walked towards the door to the house. They would go down to the square together as per their custom. He sighed as he stepped outside, lifting the cookie to his mouth and taking a bite. The hot July weather hit him immediately. He could feel the salt in the air as he leaned against the wall of the house to wait. If his mother came out of the house, she would yell at him for dirtying his shirt. He started to look over when the door opened up and before he had a chance to react, the cookie was slapped out of his hand.

“And that’s why you’d die in the Games. You’re too slow.” Reef glared at his older brother. Fury burned through him and he barely paid attention to his now ruined snack on the ground by his feet. Even though there were only two years between them, Dune looked more imposing. His years of training developed his muscles in a different way from Reef’s years helping on the fishing boats. “You don’t know that. I’m smarter than you are. You’d probably let someone get the best of you,” he hissed back at his brother. “I hope your name is chosen and someone volunteers so you can’t go in.” This fight between them started yesterday. He should have walked with his friends past Dune’s group. He should not have stopped and said anything at all. Instead, something about the way his brother and his friends laughed and talked about it all got under the usually laidback Reef’s skin. So, he tried to embarrass him yesterday and it made last night’s dinner tense between the two of them. He’d thought he would ignore his older brother today, but fate seemed to think differently.

There was a flicker of anger over his brother’s face and for a moment, Reef thought he would be pinned up to the wall with a black eye. Instead, the door opened again and the rest of the family stepped outside. His own anger faded, locking it away, so that he could grin at his mother. He kicked the cookie away with the toe of his shoe so that she would not see what happened. “Well, let’s get going. Today’s the day!” exclaimed Mariner Waverly, a huge proud grin plastered on his face. “’Bout time my oldest son volunteers for the Games!” Reef tried not to let what his father said bother him. Dune was the one who’d been chosen. They only had enough money for one of them and if Reef thought about it, he considered himself the lucky one. His life was not being sacrificed for his father to live vicariously through a victor child. Still, he could not stop the pang of jealousy at the way his father looked at his brother. His blue eyes drifted over to Tide and Cascade. ‘Would they be next?’ Reef thought bitterly. If Dune did get in and didn’t win, he assumed that his dad would pick one of the younger two, unless his mother stopped him. Reef pushed off the side of his house and followed the rest of his family to the square. On the way, hands brushed the dirt off his back. “Really, Reef? Out of sight for five minutes and already trying to ruin your shirt,” his mother sighed as she finished dusting off his back and deftly tucked his shirt in before he could protest. He offered her up a shrug as he reached out to take his sister’s hand. “Want to ride on my shoulders, Cascade?” he asked, ignoring the glare his mother shot his way. He lifted the girl up, settling more for a piggyback ride than fully up on his shoulders. “We’ll race you, Tide!” he said to the younger boy walking near Dune. His sister giggled in his ear as he sped up. He watched Tide take off and he heard his mother shout something, but he ignored it. Sweat prickled his skin, but Reef did not care as he raced with his sister on his back into the town square of District Four. He skidded to a halt, grinning down at Tide jumping up and down victoriously. “Look at you. You’re getting faster,” he laughed as he let Cascade climb down from his back as their parents and Dune joined back up. His mother was back to him as his father talked to his brother. She ran her fingers through his hair again. “Not much longer and then, we’ll go back and celebrate your birthday.” She pressed her lips to his cheek and his face burned with embarrassment. “Mom, you should let me sign in. There are people around,” he mumbled as she looked at him, a sadness passing through her eyes for just a moment. “I should go.” He jabbed his thumb towards the sign in table and she nodded in response.

The line wasn’t long as he held out his right hand so they could prick his finger for check in. They nodded and he moved through, finding the group of sixteen-year-old boys. As soon as he picked a spot, Reef reached down and freed his shirt from his pants. “Hey, Reef. Happy birthday.” He turned to see his best friend standing next to him. They were in the same class and worked on the same boat after school. He greeted him back, but did not get to say much more as the escort stepped up to begin the Reaping for the Eighty-Sixth Hunger Games. Reef’s focus was on the video that played over the screen, a yawn escaping his lips as he turned to find his family in the crowd. His mother’s eyes found him and he watched her motion to him to tuck in his shirt again. A smile toyed at his lips as he tucked in the side that she could see. He waved to Tide and Cascade before turning back around to watch the escort approach the Reaping ball. The woman’s fingers swirled the slips of paper around and pulled one out with such flourish. “Marina Clearwater.” Whoever the girl was, she did not even get to step forward as clear and loud voice called out, “I volunteer as tribute!” The girl who stepped forward was one that Reef knew from Dune’s circle. Her dirty blonde hair fell in beachy waves, bouncing as she walked with a purpose to the stage. The green dress she wore highlighted her sun kissed skin. She looked like the picture of the perfect tribute and she’d obviously been rehearsing this moment for weeks leading up to this. She smiled, it even reached her green eyes, as she leaned into the microphone. “Maren Storm,” she said and then she took a step back to allow the escort to move towards the ball that held the names of all the boys. It felt like ages as the escort pulled a name out of the bowl. She opened it slowly. Reef stole a look at his brother. He looked primed to raise his hand and all that jealousy and anger bubbled up inside of him. He looked so proud and Reef wanted to knock that smug look off his face. “Dune Waverly!” Without thinking, Reef threw his hand into the air. “I volunteer as tribute!” he called out and suddenly, hundreds of pairs of eyes were zeroing on him. Reef did not shrink back as he felt the hand of his best friend on his shoulder. He did not look, knowing that he would see the question of why in his eyes. He stepped forward, people moving away from him. He walked with confidence towards the stage, untucking his shirt as he went, each step knowing that he was being judged. He had not trained. He was never supposed to volunteer, but in that moment of hearing his brother’s name, something in him snapped. He wanted to take that from him. Dune told him that he couldn’t do it. He wanted to prove him wrong. Now, as he took the first step up, he realized what he’d done. He did not think he could take his volunteering back. There was no way that would be allowed. He grinned as he stepped up to the microphone. “Reef Waverly,” he said, taking that moment to steal a look at Dune. The older boy clenched his jaw and Reef could see the pure hatred written over his features. There was a small bit of pride that swelled in him, even if he should not have felt that way. He could not will himself to seek out his parents in the crowd. His mother would no doubt cry and the anger he’d see on his father’s face would be almost as bad as what he saw on Dune’s. “Oh, Waverly. That must be your cousin or your brother!” The escort chirped and Reef offered her up a charming smile. “Brother. Older brother. He wasn’t ready,” he lied, not letting the smile falter, taking a step away. He did not let the smile fade even when they ushered him off the stage and into the Justice Building. They led him down a long hallway, opening up a door and showing him inside. When the door shut behind him, Reef walked over to a chair and sat down. The weight of what he’d done settled on his shoulders. He buried his head in his hands. How was he going to get out of this alive?