Chapter Text
A 3rd person account made from the journal of District Eleven tribute, Daniel Ricciardo.
The stylists were finally done with what they needed to do with their painful procedures and had been gracious enough to give Daniel some time to relax in my room. His first thought was to lie on the bed and ungracefully flop onto it, face first of course. He almost let himself suffocate in this soft soft pillows and duvet. He immediately knew he'd sleep well that night.
I may die within the month but God I'm going to be well rested when I do he thought to himself.
The outfits were ridiculous to say the least and incredibly uncomfortable and the only good bit were the cowboy hats. The brunette was pretty sure Oscar shared the sentiment. He couldn't be sure though. The younger didn't talk much but he seemed to be pretty polite and compliant, he definitely wasn't a talker though. Daniel had done most of the talking for the two of them. But he was sure Mark liked them both though. Daniel had found him to be a little intimidating but nice.
He rolled over onto his back and spread his arms and legs out with his eyes shut for a second before turning his head to the sides.
There was a clear marble theme going here since the door to the bathroom has a marble door frame. The bathroom was pretty neat from what he can see without going anywhere. There was a large bath behind the door with a stand up shower on the other corner and a mirror going across the bathroom next to the bath tub with a long wide sink underneath it. The towels look equally as soft as the bed though, a white fuzz hanging down the radiators.
The bed is a double bed, the first one Daniel had ever been in, and the bed is in the dead centre of the room and on the left, opposite the bathroom is a blank white wall with a leafy green skirting board travelling around the room. Opposite the bed is a TV that was significantly smaller than the one outside, probably measuring at around 60 inches on a diagonal.
Then Daniel noticed him. The avox. He took him by complete surprise since he thought that they were all stood outside the rooms waiting for them.
He let out yelped in shock and scrambled to the corner of the bed, so used to having a bedside table at home to lean against, but there wasn't one here to lean against and he fell to the floor with a loud thud.
The poor boy must've been startled by Daniel's sudden noise as well since he noticed the avox jump as a he fell but the second immediately came to help Daniel back onto the bed.
Daniel groaned and winced in slight pain as a rubbed his elbow which had taken the majority of the fall for him.
Then he finally managed to get a good glimpse of him once he was sat properly.
The avox's hair was bright, only a few shades lighter and it could almost blend in with the marble around the doors. He's slicked it back with whatever products they were given (were they given any?) and that probably gave him a few inches on the top. He wasn't exactly small but he wasn't tall either, just average really. Easy to miss and easy to forget. But his eyes were difficult to forget. A bright striking blue like the skies back home. They were currently a soft gentle blue, the kind that you'd see on a scorching summers day but in the right light they'd become storms at sea, determined to drown any unfortunate sailors. He was also rather thin, that made him stick out a lot compared to many from the Capitol. The avox's stick like figure was most likely due to malnutrition like most others in Daniel's home district.
"Jesus you sure know how to surprise a guy," he joked. "So quiet I almost missed you there."
Regret hit him as soon as he took a proper look at the blond. He can't talk. It had been told to the Districts that many avoxes had chosen to stay on as workers to help rebuild or as a way of compensating if they'd done wrong and committed a crime. They'd also been told that avoxes were no longer muted. Turns out that was a lie. Because the boy had a metal bar going around his mouth level which was supported by bars at the back of his neck that made another circle around the base of his neck that left a red mark when he moved around. That couldn't be comfortable.
"I'm sorry I shouldn't have said that," he said quickly. "That was wrong, I shouldn't have but I didn't know-"
He gently placed his hand on Daniel's forearm and shook his head, giving him a thumbs up to gesture it was alright. Or that he was forgiven at least.
"I'm Daniel. I don't know if you watched the Reapings or not but I'm Daniel," he introduced gently. "What's your name?"
In the space of a few seconds, he'd managed to forget that the blond can't talk.
"Shit, sorry. I- um," a light bulb went off. "Is there a notebook anywhere? Something I can write in?"
He held up a finger, one second.
That's universal then the brunet thought. Something I can use to communicate with.
He rummaged in some light brown drawers in the desk below the TV, gently setting the chair and the clothes on the chair aside, and came back with a note book and pen. He opened it to the first page and wrote down a word and showed it to Daniel.
Liam.
His name is Liam. His hand writing was a little shaky and slightly messy, most likely not from having written in a long time.
"What district are you from?"
He wrote something again.
Eleven.
The same as me Daniel thought
"Where abouts?"
The east but closer to the south.
The "Kiwis" as they're called because of their fruit plantations with Kiwis as their most popular Capitol export.
"Is there anyway I can take that thing off?"
He nodded excitedly and began to write again. It took a little longer but he eventually showed me what he'd written.
Screw at the back of the cage on the top and bottom.
"Alright then turn around," he instructed, being sure not to be too demanding with it. That's probably the last thing that Liam wanted.
He complied and his fingers began to fiddle with the screws. They were in tight and difficult to manovre but after a few tries he finally managed to get the top screw out and place it on the bed. It took a few more tries for the second screw which was in even further but he got that one out as well.
His hands shook slightly as he held the bars tightly in my grip so they wouldn't drop into Liam's shoulders. The hideous contraption wasn't particularly clean. The metals were rusting, especially in the areas near Liam's mouth (that can't be safe or hygienic). But the bars creaked and made a horrible scraping noise when they were finally pulled apart with Liam making a few uncomfortable noises as the rustic metal rectangle was pulled from his mouth.
Daniel wasn't particularly sure what to expect in Liam's reaction but the blond desperately scrambling over the bed and running to the bathroom wasn't on the list of potential guesses.
The brunet hauled the bars over to the desk and carefully propped them up against the wall to make sure they wouldn't fall or make a sound. They weren't particularly light either and each one probably weighed a kilogram but having them there all day and everyday must've gotten to him eventually.
How does he put up with that everyday?
He walked over to the bathroom and poked his head in through the door.
"Liam, mate?" He called in. "You alright?"
He was kneeling in front of the sink with the tap running and desperately shovelling water into his mouth like he'd been in a desert for weeks.
"You alright?" he repeated.
He switched the tap off and leaned back to regain his breath.
"Yeah," he said. His voice was dry and raspy, probably due to not being used, and he coughed a few times to clear his throat. "I just needed some water, haven't drank much lately." But there was a distinct Eastern District Eleven accent. His 'e' was more of an 'i' and his 'i' more of a 'i' that separated Liam's accent from Daniel's own, even if Daniel was from the south east. It was small, subtle differences that separated the two. Most people out of District Eleven couldn't tell the difference between the two but it was there and it was easy to pick up on if you knew what to look for.
"Don't they give you water?" He asked. Stop asking stupid questions Daniel he thought to himself. They obviously didn't if he had this kind of reaction.
Liam shook his head. "Only in the mornings and night. We're on duty all day and this morning one of the Peacekeepers decided to "accidentally" kick my water over."
"What a dick."
Liam snickered. "You're telling me mate." He stood up and brushed his hands against his trousers the wiped his mouth with his sleeve. The blond then offered a handshake. "Liam Lawson pleasure to meet you."
"Daniel Ricciardo. Also my pleasure to meet you," he said and went to sit back down on his bed. Liam followed suit and Daniel sat back down and lied back down but didn't feel the usual dip in the mattress when someone else sat down. He stuck my arm out to pat around and realised he hadn't sat down. He propped himself up on his elbows. "You can sit y'know."
"Right right," he said quickly and sat down beside me awkwardly. "Sorry. I've usually got to ask for that."
"It's alright. You don't have to ask to do anything with me," he said but quickly added. "Except enter the bathroom. You don't want to see me shower, unless you want to have a live show of the cover songs out there."
Liam laughed again. "Sorry but I'll have to pass. It'll surprise you how many people in the Capitol think they're good singers but suck. It'll also surprise you how many force us to sit and listen and fake applause like it's the best thing I've ever heard."
"They're that narcissistic, huh?"
"Oh yeah. Absolute nightmares."
"Cant imagine it."
"Don't try to. It makes me wish I didn't have ears. Your escort is particularly bad for it. Forces me and Mark to listen."
They both laughed at the thought of the District Eleven escort, Noel, singing with Liam and Mark uncomfortably sat in the chairs and listening whilst wanting to die.
An easy conversation began to ensue between the pair. Both of them calmly talking and making jokes between the pair of them until they were both almost in stitches from laughing so hard. When they laughter died down, Daniel struck the conversation back up again.
"Hey Liam. Can I ask you something?"
"That's not what I'm used to but sure."
"Why'd you end up an avox? How did you? We all thought they didn't do that anymore," Daniel said. "That was one of their big things after the rebellion. No more avoxes."
"Yeah that's what I thought too. Long story short, a Peacekeeper was abusing his power over my friend and one day I just lost it and tackled him off my friend," Liam explained. "The Capitol obviously weren't happy and said I was going to do service to compensate in the Capitol. Turns out that meant being an avox."
"So this is apparently some kind of bullshit "community service"?"
Liam sighed. "Yeah I guess. The other avoxes are pretty cool though. We have a system to talk with. Franco, he's with District Two, he uses it all the time. If we could talk then I'm one hundred percentage certain he wouldn't shut up. Jack is a little more quiet though, he's with your district partner."
"Oscar," Daniel corrected.
"Yeah that's the guy. Didn't get told his name. Hey I've been wondering this but do they still do the carnival acts in the market in the district centre? There's a lot of acrobat entertainers in the Capitol and it's always reminded me of home. But Jack said he couldn't remember."
Daniel's jaw dropped in shock slightly. They hadn't done those in years. There was no way he was gone before those were banned. The people of the district almost rioted over it. There were some in some places. They'd been a long lasting symbol of freedom and culture in the district and the audacity to take them was something people had never expected the Capitol to have. They'd taken people as prisoners, as Daniel had learned today. They'd killed, tortured, humiliated and stolen from the districts. But anything personal to the districts had been left alone. Especially in District Eleven where people had always had their own unique places and cultures, separate to the other districts that were slightly similar in one another. When the Capitol had taken that, a new line had been crossed and that had lit a shortly lived fire in the districts that stood as a small glowing ember of anger.
"No, mate they got banned years ago," Daniel said, his shock travelling through to his voice even though he'd tried to hide it. "How old are you?"
"Nineteen," Liam replied hesitantly. "Or maybe I'm eighteen. I don't have a way of keeping track of the days so it's a little hard to know. I might be twenty."
The previously joyful mood was now gone. Concern and a hint of horror had replaced it faster than Daniel could blink.
"How long have you been here?"
"This is the fifth Games I've seen come round," Liam said confidently. "Came up around three or four months after my last ones at home."
"So you were thirteen when you got here?" Daniel asked quietly.
"Or twelve. It's too long ago to remember."
They'd both lived on the opposite ends of the east of the district but the east wasn't exactly massive. For all they knew, they could've been in the same school just two years apart. Maybe even one. Or even the same depending on Liam's birthday. Did he remember someone no longer being in the school all of a sudden. There were only three schools in the south. A lower one and two upper ones, joined together and in the east centre. Could he remember someone being taken out and never coming back or was that just another tribute who died? Was that something he could recall? It sounded distantly familiar? Maybe it was in the second upper school and not the one with Daniel's. Was that right? Or was he imagining it? He wasn't even sure why he was so determined to remember if he knew Liam. Was it because he felt guilty for not remembering the poor, tortured avox? Or was it because Daniel was about to experience this himself? Potentially being forgotten or becoming a vague story and never completing school. God he hated that building but he'd rather be sat in there than here in the Capitol.
But Daniel also couldn't imagine being ripped away from his family so young. With them possibly never seeing his teenage years or the brilliant, intelligent, funny, memorable young man Liam is today. Never knowing if their son will come home or if he's even alive. At least if someone's a tribute then they're alive or dead. It was a simple yes or no. With Liam's situation there was no way for his family to determine if he really was alive or dead. Could this even be called living? Or was Liam just existing to serve? Never having his own voice or free will. Being here for so long he's forgotten that he forgets he has the basic right to just sit down and he doesn't have to ask.
Unsurprisingly, Liam had many more questions about home after learning the beloved acrobats at the centre market had been banned. Daniel was more than happy to answer all of them. For every question Liam had, Daniel had a good and honest answer. And for every answer Daniel had, Liam seemed to have about ten more questions.
He'd never noticed it, but his home really had changed a lot in the last few years. But if you're there all the time then you never notice how much it changes.
The street that Daniel had his first neighbourhood soccer game on was now filled with houses to try and handle the growing population. His school now had five extra classrooms for extra students and the town hall didn't hold the yearly games night anymore to keep people's spirits up. Or maybe it did and Daniel had just grown out of it. When did that happen? But thinking about it, District Eleven wasn't the only one to change. Daniel had too. His childhood best friend, Jev, had changed too. The boys didn't talk anymore but Daniel still knew his full name, where he lived, his parents names, Jev's favourite meal and his favourite colour. When had they grown apart though? When was the last time they'd hung out?
Had Jev thought about Daniel before his name was called out or had he forgotten him? What about Heidi? Did she talk to Jev after his name was called? How long had it been since they'd spoken to each other? What did they talk about if they did? Did they even know that Daniel had a shared history with both of them? He'd met Jev when he was young. Very young. First day of lower school and Daniel had gone straight over to him and introduced himself but the other boy had been a little more reserved in his greetings. They'd become friends quickly though and eventually Jev had come out of his shell a little more. But then they went to the same upper school and they'd just never spoken again. They'd been playing in Daniel's back garden and had spoken about all the things that could happen. They said bye and said they'll see each other tomorrow in upper school and had just spoke to each other.
"Daniel? Daniel? Are you alright?" Liam asked and moved his head down to meet Daniel's eye level. "You looked miles away there."
"Yeah sorry," Daniel said, blinking a few times to bring himself back to reality. He'd missed Liam's last question. "What did you ask?"
"Do you know a guy called Jüri Vips? He's the friend who I tackled the Peacekeeper for," Liam asked. It surprised Daniel slightly that it had taken so long for this question to come around.
He thought a little then shook his head. "No sorry. Which upper school did you go to?"
"Southern First."
"Did Miss Watkins teach there?"
"Yeah. You go there too?" Liam asked with a smile spreading across his face. "Is she still a massive bitch?"
"Biggest bitch I know," Daniel confirmed and they both fell into a fit of giggles and laughter. "She's got a stick so deep up her ass I can see it in her mouth if I look at the right angle."
Liam began to laugh once more. "Y'know she went out with Mr Sanders."
Daniel gasped and his eyes widened. "Mr Sanders? The nicest teacher this school has ever seen?"
"The only nice teacher that's ever been in that school," Liam corrected and nodded his head. "Yeah. Everyone was surprised when they found out."
Daniel snickered once again. "That was the last thing I expected to learn here."
School was such a mundane and dull event that both of the boys had shared a mutual hatred for. But somehow the part of life that they hated the most was the part they missed most. Something so boring that they complained of so much was now something they desired most. To know if they would've known each other and befriended each other. If they would've hated each other or become like brothers to each other. There were so many what ifs to their lives and now none of them would ever be known.
A conversation fell upon them once more and they became happy in their conversation. Learning more of each other and exchanging jokes between the pair.
At least if I die here then there's more than just my family who will miss me Daniel thought.
"Y'know I've been serving tributes here for five Games now and you're the only one to take that stupid thing off my mouth and you're the first person I've spoken to in five years," Liam said. "Thank you for it."
"You're welcome," Daniel smiled.
Liam looked to the clock. "Shit you need to leave," he said quickly and grabbed his cage. "You need to put this back on," he said quickly and Daniel became mortified once more.
"Mate I-"
"You have to. I can get in trouble if I don't. Deep trouble," Liam said. "I could be executed."
Daniel then ran to the desk and grabbed the cage. His new friend? Executed? Not on his watch. They carefully manoeuvred the rusty metal rectangle that prevented Liam from speaking back into his mouth.
"You need to hold it," Daniel said quickly and began to fiddle with the screws as Liam held the contraption in place. Once they were in, Daniel finally let go to take a step back and see it. It was done. The contraption was back on Liam, prohibiting his speech.
Liam turned round and offered his hand in a shake, which Daniel accepted. "I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?"
Liam nodded as best as he could despite the circle around his neck preventing him from moving much.
"Are you here everyday for me or do you go to someone else?"
Liam gave a thumbs up and Daniel smiled. A friend. He'd made a friend. They both stood and Liam opened the door for Daniel who stepped out to see Oscar being led out by his avox, Jack, Daniel assumed.
Both tributes moved towards the door and the two avoxes stepped beside the doors of their two tributes' doors.
The escort, Noel, stood up with a smile on his face and Oscar and Daniel shared a look of disdain at the man.
"Right down you go," he said and ushered them to the lift.
"Where's Mark?" Oscar asked and Daniel gave him a slight look of shock. This was the ninth thing Daniel had heard Oscar say in the entire near twenty four hours that they'd been in each others presence.
"He's already down at the bar," Noel said with a hint of disapproval in his voice. "Talking to other people who can get sponsors for you too."
Daniel sent Liam one last smile and a small, subtle wave which Liam reciprocated them the large doors shut.
The lift journey was uncomfortable and awkward with Noel's presence, had he not been there and Oscar and Daniel probably would've been able to engage in a comfortable conversation for the first time but Noel's constant talking made that a little difficult for them.
After an excruciatingly long time, both tributes were freed from their entrapment and allowed into the "basement" floor of the building they were staying in.
"Alright off you two go," Noel said and waved the pair off like a parent waving their child goodbye.
As the lift doors began to close, the tributes turned around and Daniel offered a wave and an awkward smile back. Oscar, on the other hand, just gave Noel his middle finger which caused a gasp from the escort and a laugh from Daniel.
"Nice one," Daniel said.
"Thanks," Oscar said back. "Been wanting to do that this whole time."
"So you can talk?"
Oscar shrugged. "Yeah. Just didnt want to around him."
"Fair enough," Daniel said. "What's the game plan here?"
Oscar furrowed his brows. "Game plan?"
"What are we doing? Who we talking to? What we thinking?" He explained.
"I was gonna get a general idea of who everyone else is," Oscar said. "Not sure what you were gonna do."
"I'll probably do the same since I didn't think about that."
"We staying together or splitting off?"
"Split off," Oscar answered and glanced around. "Get a better idea of people that way."
Daniel nodded. "See you later I guess." He walked in the opposite direction to Oscar and began to look around at the other tributes who surrounded them.
He probably should've watched where he was going because he walked straight into a blond he hadn't noticed. Both stumbled slightly and Daniel had to grab the boy's arm to prevent the stranger from falling to the floor.
"Sorry sorry I didn't mean to- I just-."
He was quickly cut off by yelling in a language he didn't understand. Everyone had turned to look at two of the boys dressed in the exact same clothes as each other, district partners. One shoved the other and the other reciprocated that with a punch to the face and the other followed. Before they could hit each other again, they were pulled away from each other by peacekeepers.
"I think they're going to be the first in the arena to kill each other," the blond stranger said.
Oh. Right. Daniel had forgotten he was there.
"Wouldn't exactly surprise me," he remarked. "I'm Daniel Ricciardo by the way."
"Max Verstappen." Judging by his accent and clothes, Daniel could take a guess that he was from District Five. Maybe Six. But probably Five, he sounded a little too northern to be from district six.
"Do you know what district they are?" Max Verstappen asked him.
"Judging by the patchy clothes I'm going to say District Eight."
"Those clothes are pretty ugly," Max said. "And I'm wearing this stupid thing and you're wearing whatever that is."
Daniel let out a laugh. "What are you a fashion critic?"
Max shook his head. "No I just have eyes unlike the stylists."
The boy from, probably, Five paused for a small second and looked at Daniel before laughing at his own joke and Daniel couldn't help but laugh with him.
Daniel took this chance to properly take in Max's appearance. The two boys were of a similar height with Max being a little taller, but not by much. His hair was a dirty blond that reminded Daniel of the wheat back home if it had been caught in the mud. His eyes were blue like Liam's but Max's were a darker shade like the sky just before it hits pitch black. Max wasn't exactly a muscular boy, unlike Daniel who'd spent his free time working in fields. Max was a little more lanky but the way he was stood lightly on his feet told Daniel that he was ready to run at any point and was slightly more nimble than other tributes.
"What the hell are you wearing anyways?" Max questioned. "It's not exactly stylish."
Daniel faked a gasp and put his hand over his heart whilst faking a look of insult. "How dare you!" He said with exaggerated offence. "I will have you know that this is the most stylish outfit of anybody here and it is the latest fashion that will absolutely fly off the shelves here and at home in Eleven."
Max laughed, almost doubling over in stitches. "Of course. How could I be so stupid," he said through the laughter. "Obviously it's there to show off your muscles and rugged good looks."
Daniel faked a pout and flexed his muscles. "There we go. Some good appreciation for fashion at least. Besides, it's better than whatever you're wearing."
This time it was Max's turn to fake offence. "I will have you know that this is the height of style in District Five. Everyone dresses like this," he said and did a fake spin. "Everyone adores this style. Or at least they will once I make it popular."
"Yeah and if that's the height of fashion then it's the same height as those two kids over there or the short guy from District Seven," Daniel snorted. At the same time, the both looked over at the boy from Seven, who was dressed like a tree with painted patterns on his face, and was stood near the other two boys they were talking about from Three and Twelve, who were talking to each other quietly.
The other three boys across the room looked in Daniel and Max's direction and each sent them different forms of a confused look. The pair opposite the three looked at each other out of the corner of their eyes and began to snicker and stifled laughs between them. The three looked away and went back to what they were doing. Max and Daniel both made eye contact and started laughing between the two of the hysterically until they were both doubled over and in stitches. Several other tributes looked around at them, casting looks of judgement at them but eventually they turned back to whatever it was that they were doing.
"Alright tributes," a Peacekeeper called. "Into your chariots."
"I'll see you later I guess?" Daniel said.
"Totally. You're a fun guy," Max said.
"I'm not a mushroom mate," Daniel said. Max gave a confused look before catching onto his joke and laughing once more.
"See you later," he said.
Daniel walked to his chariot where Oscar was stood waiting for him with his hat on the floor of the chariot.
"I see you made a friend," the younger boy commented.
"Nevermind that. Why aren't you wearing your hat?" Daniel asked with a hint of disappointment.
"Because it's stupid," Oscar said bluntly. "Those things are hideous and nobody back home where's them."
"I think they're brilliant," Daniel said. "Makes me look like a sexy farmer."
Oscar snorted with a small smile. "Sure they do mate."
"They do!"
Oscar just laughed as their chariot began to leave the hanger and entered the streets around them. But his smile got smaller and a little more polite when they got their first glimpses of the crowd. On the contrary, Daniel's grin just grew.
The events of the actual parade were a bit of a blur to Daniel, but he was around 99.99% that the Capitol adored him.
The second he stepped off the chariot, he began to look his district partner, Oscar, to check up on him.
"Nico job out there," Oscar said. "They adored you."
"Same to you too," Daniel complimented. "You really did as Mark said."
Oscar went slightly quiet at the compliment. "Thanks. Probably best we do as he says since he is the Victor and all. I'll see you later yeah."
Daniel nodded and watched him walk away to one of the boys from District One. A blond, like Max, and also a similar height to Max. And speaking of Max, Daniel wanted to go find his new potential friend. He scanned the crowd to see his friend engaging with his district partner in what looked to be an uncomfortable conversation.
Daniel walked over and tapped Max on the shoulder. "Hey Max, we're free to go to the bar and talk to sponsors, wanna go up together?"
Max nodded quickly and mumbled something to his district partner. "Yeah see you later, Charles."
The pair walked away and the brunet district partner, Charles, just gave an awkward smile and wave to Max, who had already turned around, but got a smile and wave back from Daniel.
"That felt awkward," Daniel said.
"We have our history," Max said. "Rivals in school sports and he embarrassed me in front of everyone and tripped me into the mud and this is the first time we've spoken since."
Daniel nodded. "Yes I hate it when people shove me into the mud too."
Max looked at him and smiled slightly. "It's just been a while since we've spoken so we're trying to mend it on orders of our mentor."
"Yeah mentors seem to know best," he said and pressed them lift button to the bar floor where the mentors and sponsors awaited them.