Eight - Lightning Striked Twice

                                    

                                          
6th July 74PD
The next morning, Xanthe wakes her tributes bright and early so that their mentors can prepare them and give their advice on which stations to attend to, and which to avoid. However, as she leads them to the breakfast table and lets them pile their plates high with several varieties of eggs and other proteins, Enobaria is the only mentor waiting. She nurses a large mug of coffee, sighing as she gulps the hot liquid as fast as possible in hopes that the caffeine will kick in quicker and wake her up. The escort has already had her makeup professionally applied, bright blue wig styled in pinned-up curls and a perfect match to the bright blue ruffles on her white thigh-length dress and white lipstick. As Clove and Ajax eat, the quiet moment is broken by the sound of tired footsteps approaching. Expecting to see her sister, Clove raises her head to see Brutus trudging wearily into the kitchen, eyes half closed from a restless night's sleep. Without a word, they watch as he makes a beeline for the coffee machine, his movement slow and deliberate as he intently watches the stream of fresh coffee fill the mug he's claimed as his own. His first sip is met with a visible sigh of relief as he settles into the chair across from his tributes and they watch the weariness leave his face with confused glances.
"Where's Clio?" Clove asks through a mouthful of danish pastry. 
Her words alert Xanthe to the missing victors, the woman assuming that the oldest Kentwell daughter would be up early as usual. Her brows knit together as she looks into the living area and beyond to the kitchen. The woman even checks the lift before announcing that she will go and knock on the bedroom door to wake her up. 
A rap on the wood of the door startles Clio awake, and then her movement consequently wakes Cato. She hums gently and blearily opens an eye, finding herself cuddled into her boyfriend's chest, resting on her side with one of her legs thrown over his and a hand splayed out across his chest. He leans down to press soft kisses to her shoulder, feathery light as his lips run over the skin from her to her neck, and Clio can't even bring herself to be too mad at the fact she was rudely awoken because his movements are so gentle. Her lips twitch into a smile as her gaze casts over his hair, that is arranged messily over his head and glints gold beneath the beams of morning light that stream in through the gaps in the slats of the blinds, before she meets his eyes. She stifles a yawn and runs her fingers up and down his chest, "morning."
"I think that was Xanthe." Cato hums, pressing another kiss to the top of her head. "Means we should probably go do our jobs."
"Nooooo," Clio practically whines, curling even closer to him and burying her face into his neck. "I'm Too tired right now."
"Who are you and what have you done with my Clio?" He chuckles as he sits up on his side. He rests with his elbow digging into the mattress by the pillow and anchors his head up with his hand, his loving gaze trailing all over hers as she smiles.
"Shushhh," she replies, voice tired yet affectionate. She tries to brush it off with an eye roll, but drops her head into the pillow. "Just let me lie here before we have to go and deal with all of them."
Cato snorts, "you make it sound like spending time with them is the worst thing in the world. You love being here, stop being so dramatic." 
"Who are you and what have you done with my Cato?" She mocks his earlier words, placing a hand on his forehead and pretending to take his temperature. 
"Shut up." He groans, swatting her hand away. "I'm just trying to get you back to normal. I don't think you've slept in this long since you got back."
"You're telling me that you don't want to stay here all day?"
"Well now you've said it." He shrugs, dropping his head back onto the pillow. "I should try and enjoy every second I have alone with you considering I'm on a sex ban."