Stronger

Velvet Demarais Mentor of District 1 Winner for the 94th Hunger Games "I'm headed straight for the castle They wanna make me their queen And there's an old man sitting on the throne that's saying that I probably shouldn't be so mean."

[fashionglamourstyleluxury]

[velvetdemarais]

roxiehensley:

Stunned wasn’t the right word–astounded was better. The concern in mentor’s voice was real, at least as far as Roxie could tell, and when she reached over to wipe a tear away, Roxie froze. She listened to what she said and took it in, looking around instinctively although she had a feeling if they were being watched, the mentor was likely to notice before the tribute. She wanted to ask why this woman cared, why it mattered if she was strong, when in the end, her tributes would have to kill Roxie anyway. “I hate everyone here,” she said, although she forced herself to calm down and at least managed to stop the tears. “I don’t understand why it has to be this way. I don’t understand what I’m being punished for.”

“You can hate anyone you want.” Velvet narrowed her eyes, “But you keep it to yourself. You hate them inside and you hate them at home. But out here you are nothing but a piece in a game to them and if you show that you don’t like them they wont help you. And you will need their help.” She was starting to hate them, but she never spoke a word about it. She was too smart for that, and Roxie needed to be. “Because life isn’t fair. And I was punished too. My districts have found a way to make it fun but I still rode back home with the body of a boy I grew up with, played with. Every year I ride back home with the bodies of children who’s parents blame me for them dying.” Clearing her throat she shook her head, “You’re punished because your family was born in the wrong place. Everyone of our families were.”

[velvetdemarais]

aerikalindell:

The teasing remark got a smile out of her, as Velvet normally managed to do, before Aerika, too, cast her gaze among the various nerve-ridden tributes, some being herded around by their designated escorts while others just gawked at the tall skyscrapers and a slice of the population of the Capitol. “Hmm..,” she nodded slowly in agreement, then suddenly gave a shake of her head and muttered, “Sometimes I even wonder if death would’ve been easier than surviving for.. this.” As if she only just remembered where they were, Aerika’s expression brightened a bit, immediately jumping onto the next comment Velvet made. “Well, I don’t know about you, but I want a drink. I think we’ve earned it, yeah?”

Following Aerika’s eyes back to the tributes around them she envied their wide eyed innocence. Even the ones who were scared had that innocence still. Looking back at the dark haired woman she let out a quick breath, “I dare say it might have been.” she whispered as her fist clinched tightly against her dress. Sometimes death sounded better than following a stranger to their bed. Aerika didn’t know about that, no one truly did. “I think we have more than earned a drink of the strongest you can find!” When they were alone their masks could fall and Velvet would finally relax.

[velvetdemarais]

kivacopperson:

Kiva’s eyes widened at the voice and he stood there without saying anything for a moment, “Velvet.” He finally greeted, the name was a process to get out. He had to dig into his mind he saw her more often then the others – Capitol business, victors business. Whatever they were referring to it now. The question had him shrugging though as he wrapped his arm in hers. “I’m not straight.” He stated, at the end there was a hint of a questioning tone in his voice. As if he should understand what exactly she was talking about, “They know what I do. They just need a mentor so they can’t kill me.” He mumbled to her, closing his eyes for a few seconds letting himself be guided by her. 

“That’s right.” she confirmed at her name, as she dragged him through the crowd smiling at people around them. She was thankful he had enough sense to not fight against her. When Kiva spoke again she narrowed her eyes, “You’re hilarious, honestly you’re lucky I can’t throw you off a building.” She wasn’t truly that angry with him, she was angry with everything around her. “They could. You know very well they could kill you, none of us are as needed as we like to think.”

[velvetdemarais]

caspianzale:

✖┊VELVET DEMARAIS.

          ❛ really? always wondered if the capitol was full of prematurely balding people that felt the need to compensate. now i can go to sleep peacefully tonight. thank you. you’re gonna have to tell me what it’s made out of though. you do know dangling something like that in front of somebody, only to take it away, is gonna drive them crazy, right?

“I do my best for the people around me. I’m a helper what can I say?” she’d seen too much of what people held under their wigs. Everyone lost their appeal when you were forced to see them but some lost even their hair. “Would you be angry if I told you it was as simple as synthetics?”

[velvetdemarais]

“Even if it’s a change to what most of them normally have, there’s a part of my mind that tells me that having everything from the Capitol for all of a few weeks won’t be enough to wipe away their tears, or calm their enthusiasm for a certain few,” nothing that the luxury city had to offer her had given her a piece of mind when she was there but at least she’d made it back, whether that was a prize or not was debatable. But Dinah didn’t fight to be standing there, she just got lucky. “I did the best I could, I wouldn’t say well, however,” she shrugged her shoulders, crossing her arms over her chest, “But I appreciate the welcome, Velvet right? District one?”

“Tears?” She looked at the young woman and nodded slowly, “I can see that being a factor. But they should live these days like they’re the last ones they have. It’s what I did” Everyone should do that here. That was what these things were for, to let them all live lavishly.” It was maybe a sad thought but it was the one that they should have. “You survived. Plenty of people have done less than you and made it out alive. Not everyone fights.” Nodding at her name her smile grew, “That’s me.”

[velvetdemarais]

lifeofluxxury:

“I’m not sure I could love you if you sacrificed my chance of winning but luckily for both of us, we’re the best and we’re going to win this year.” Luxx laughed throwing an arm across Velvet’s shoulder. Both of their father’s had won their games. Death was not an option and nobody knew that better than Velvet. “So boss when do I get to stab things?”

Letting out a laugh Velvet shook her head at the blonde next to her. “I’ve never been anything but a winner in my life. The least I could do with that skill is help you.” Leaning back she smiled wide, it was time for District 1 to have a new Victor. It had been too long since they had won anything. “Soon. First you get to look adorably beautiful for the wonderful people of the Capitol. The fun part is later.”

[velvetdemarais]

agirlfromfour

“I’m not without my merits.” There was no use sugar coating it there because she was sure it wouldn’t believed if she did anyhow. No Career was without their skills. “But we’re not here to talk about that…” It was another topic entirely. “It wouldn’t be the Capitol if it didn’t. It probably makes all the other Districts look like paupers.”

“Oh I’m sure you’re not. There is no way they would send you here just to die. They have more merits than that.” she pointed out. Not that her chances weren’t good enough but it was still foolish to send her now. “Well I wouldn’t say we look like paupers. I am from district 1.”

[velvetdemarais]

aspensawyer:

Aspen stiffened.  She didn’t know what was worse that the Capitol could do to her, but she also didn’t doubt that they could.  Her mind drifted to her parents, brothers, and little nephew back in Nine.  Maybe she had to do it for them.  Maybe this was all still a Game and she was still playing.  That thought made her nauseous.  “I wish I didn’t know you were right,” she sighed after a moment of thought.

“And I wish I wasn’t right.” She added quickly. “But I am, and if your tributes want any chance you need to look confidant and give them the idea that you are. Even if it’s an act here.” Had Aspen truly not been truly coached and told what to do yet? Or was that not something they did to everyone.

[velvetdemarais]

cautiouswren:

The blonde found herself allowing her own smile to broaden as she witnessed Velvet’s smile breaking into something larger than before. Wren tilted her head slightly and nodded, “I’m from 8, been in the Capitol for a while now though, on and off.”

At the girls comment she pursed her lips for a moment, “I’ve been here a few times myself now. Wonderful visits as one would expect.” The words were sour in her mouth but they were supposed to be true. She was supposed to love the Capitol not dread it and think of unwelcome hands. 

[velvetdemarais]

cautiouswren:

Smiling, Wren continued, “District? Who are you mentoring for?” she replied before she added, “I remember your face everywhere when you’d won, and I think I saw you around here last year.”

Oh! Velvet’s smile widened, “District 1. Proudly so.” She didn’t know if that was honestly the truth anymore. But it was what she had to say, had to do. “And you’re from?”

[velvetdemarais]

agirlfromfour:

“There’s as good of a chance as any it’ll be me, if not a little better than that.” Careers won it almost every year so she figured that put her ahead of almost all the other tributes that weren’t Careers. Considering the odds, she’d take that. “Other parts of it it no amazing but it’s nothing like home. But I probably shouldn’t admit that out loud.” The Capitol was beautiful but it held nothing on the seas and the sunsets they got to see there.

“Of course. You did decide to volunteer yourself and the people in your district decided it was a good idea to let you! You have to have some talent.” District 4 were technically careers but they didn’t have the same bond as 1 and 2 did. Plus they were out of their minds for not making her wait. If she was good now then she could have been a masterpiece when she was older. “The Capitol is full of glamour that not even my district has.”

[velvetdemarais]

cautiouswren:

Catching the subtle remark from one of the passersby, Wren couldn’t help but smile to herself slightly, if only briefly. She remembered what it felt like to be young, carefree and without fear, that had been before the reaping, and before she had been chosen. Everything that had happened after that moment had changed and shaped her, and some of it, not for the better. She gave a sigh before she leaned in slightly and muttered back, “You can say that again. What number?”

“Number of what?” she pulled her eyebrows together looking over the older woman, another mentor. Did she think Velvet was a tribute? Perhaps she did, the woman had only been a mentor for a few years so it wasn’t entirely impossible.

[buffyannesummers-archive]

[velvetdemarais]

aspensawyer:

The girl pondered what Velvet said for a moment before her shoulders sagged and she sighed.  “What’s the point of it though?  Maybe they need to see that we don’t come out of there perfectly okay.  There’s nothing okay about what happens in there.”  Aspen didn’t know why she was saying those things, but she didn’t want to put on a mask.  She was sick of pretending she didn’t have nightmares almost every night.

“Because the Capitol doesn’t care. They see you looking like this and they will make your life worse than it is now and one of the old ones in your district will be forced to stand by at least one dead child every year.” She stood in front of Aspen, “Trust me when I say there are worse things they can do to you.” Maybe it was an obligation, they’d both came out of the games alive so their lives were owned by the Capitol.

[velvetdemarais]

roxiehensley:

Her words incised Roxie, and for a moment she forgot her timidity and her whole body tenses. “No it’s not a part of life,” she snapped, eyes shining with indignation. “Death is a part of life, not murder. Killing is not natural, and we didn’t do anything to deserve this. A hundred years ago there was a rebellion and we’re still paying for it.” She realized with horror that there were tears in her eyes and she took a deep, shuddering breath, wiping at her eyes furiously. The compliment was buried inside an insult, although she didn’t think this girl realized what she was saying. It was like brainwash, and it was terrifying to be faced with. “I don’t hate you for being alive. I hate you for thinking that all of this is okay. I hate you for wanting anybody to die. Not just me.” Her heart was thudding, she couldn’t believe she was saying these things, but she couldn’t help it. She’d been pushed, and she was furious.

When the tears hit the girl’s eyes Velvet looked around, they were alone thankfully. If she was going to break down to easily she couldn’t be the strongest. If she wanted any chance she’d need people to donate to her. This would get her nothing but laughed at. “Stop it.” Velvet spoke quietly to the girl. “You do not cry here. You never shed a tear in public here. Not in the Capitol, you never show them your tears.” This girl had no idea that there had been whispering of a rebellion after that. With that Katniss girl. Of course the Capitol had hushed that right up, she doubted many people knew about it at all. She’d only found out in one of her forced trips to the Capitol herself. “You can hate me all you want later and away from people. But here.” Velvet reached out and wiped the tears from her face. “You be strong. Even if you have to pretend.” It would be too easy for people to break her if they saw.

[velvetdemarais]

aspensawyer:

Velvet.  The Careers always made Aspen uneasy, but they’d make any sane person uneasy.  Then again, they were all killers.  “Oh,” she murmured with a slight shrug.  “I’ll have to go find them then.”  It was just a little too easy to get lost in thought.  “Thanks.”

She thought about leaving it be. Letting her go out looking like she was a pup lost and unsure of what she was supposed to do. But Aspen had paid her dues. “I would wait until you get that look out of your eyes.” Velvet finally spoke. “You know as well as I we’re supposed to put on a face, there are Capitol Citizens all over out there.”