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Johanna can't shake the feeling that something is wrong. She's been on edge since she arrived in the Capitol, since she was called to Seneca Crane's hotel room that first night and woke up to his corpse, but now she's extra spooked, because Cashmere had left their broadcast the day before and never returned. Johanna had waited in the greenroom like she said she would, but after an hour and a half, she got up to leave, and there was a Peacekeeper with a rifle outside the door who had said he needed to check if it was safe for her to leave.
Now, a day later, she is certain something is wrong and she just doesn't know what it is. Something has Snow on edge, and she wishes she could talk about it with Haymitch or Finnick or one of the few other people she trusts, but she can't, because she had told Cashmere she wouldn't say a word about Crane's death to anyone.
She takes the first shift in the mentor booth that morning, but it's Gloss at the District 1 chair. Her second tribute, Fount, is probably going to die that afternoon, after taking a bad injury from an arrow to the hip the evening before, but she sends him a first aid kit and a filter he can use for the stagnant water that's here and there in the arena, because if he wants to give the Games a fighting chance, she is going to help him. Why else collect the sponsor money if not to spend it on her tributes?
Blight relieves her in the afternoon, and she thinks about sleeping since she's dead tired, but she still hasn't seen Cashmere. It's rare to not have any bullshit to do with Caesar that day, and she's glad, but she's so used to seeing Cashmere it's concerning when she doesn't. She assumes she returned from whatever errand she was called to the day before, but Johanna hasn't actually seen her.
So she goes to the 1 apartment instead of her own, knocking on the door and feeling stupid while she does it. The escort opens the door, a little surprised to see Johanna. "Is Cashmere in?"
"Oh, yes, she's in her room, I think she was feeling under the weather this morning. Do you need her?"
"I… yeah. Blight asked me to see about an alliance. I know it's a long shot, but-"
"Oh, of course! Well, go on then. I have to meet with Fulvia about Cashmere's lighting on that program, it's been atrocious!"
Johanna is left alone as the escort leaves, surprised she bought such a bullshit excuse. Well, she thought she was alone, but she sees a young woman standing in the kitchen, head lowered. An Avox. Johanna always sends them away from the 7 apartment because they make her uncomfortable, so she forgot they would be here. She ignores this woman and finds the bedroom with the door shut. "Cash, are you in there?"
There's a bit of shifting, and then footsteps, and the door opens. It's Cashmere, bare-faced, in pajamas, her hair a little fluffy, and she looks surprised to see Johanna at her door. "I thought it was Oracle again."
"It's me."
Cashmere goes to push the door shut, but Johanna holds it open. "Can I come in?"
Cashmere seems to consider this for a moment, and then, seeing the Avox in the kitchen area, opens the bedroom door a little wider to allow Johanna in. She closes the door again behind them both.
The room is neat, almost as neat as the empty rooms on move-in day. There are a few clothes in the laundry hamper and some discarded jewelry on the dresser, but aside from the rumpled blankets, it's in perfect condition. It's the opposite of Johanna's room, filled with empty glasses and cigarette butts and clothes and used towels scattered about. "What was the thing yesterday?"
Cashmere shakes her head, sitting back on the bed. "It was nothing."
"Why didn't you come back with me?"
"I forgot."
"Bullshit." She moves over until she's standing in front of Cashmere. The stupid bed is so high, they're at the same level, even with Cashmere sitting. "It was about Seneca Crane, wasn't it?"
Cashmere turns away, shaking her head. Her eyelashes are light blonde, everything about her perfect and golden. "Not everything is some big conspiracy, Johanna. It really was just some stupid meet and greet."
Johanna wants to let it go. She's so tired that everything inside her feels strained, and Cashmere knows just how to push her buttons. But she can't let it go, because she knows it does have something to do with Snow and his bullshit, and if she's in the dark, she can't protect herself. "You're such a fucking liar."
Cashmere stands, pushing past Johanna to open her door. "Jules, was it? Bring me a bottle of the white wine, and an orange juice. And something to eat." She turns back to Johanna, shaking her head. "Just, shut up, will you. I am so fucking tired and I don't want you on my ass right now."
She sits back on the bed and turns on the Games, of course, and Johanna realizes she's supposed to sit, too. Momentarily, the Avox brings the food and drinks in on two trays and sets them on the bed, and then leaves, closing the door behind her. "I usually do this with Enobaria, but she's busy, and well… can't exactly tell her about Seneca."
Johanna pours a drink and kicks off her socks, not missing the way Cashmere wrinkles her nose at clothes being dropped on her perfect floor. "Was it an accident or not?" she asks, after a few minutes.
Cashmere shrugs. "I wonder. I mean, he and I both drank the wine. You and him both took the morphling. But only he died. But it still feels weird."
Johanna's eyes are brought back to the television, as Fount is caught in a struggle against the boy and girl from 2. The girl has him in a headlock, and the boy finishes him with the machete, a swipe to the gut. "Shit."
"I think Baria's boy is gonna go all the way," Cashmere says, laying back, her head too close to Johanna's shoulder.
"You still have your girl in it, don't you?"
She nods. "I don't think Crystal has what it takes. And then it will be another year of 'Gloss and Cash didn't produce', 'Gloss and Cash are poor mentors'."
Johanna wants to laugh at the absurdity of this, after 7 went 22 years without a victor, 12 has waited 24 years and will have to wait longer, 8 has waited ages, and so on. But she doesn't laugh, because that's just how it is in the inner districts, probably. She finishes her drink and lays back as well. She's full, finally, a little tipsy, and so, so tired. They both have to meet clients later, of course, but for now it's nice to just lay down, even if she's in the 1 apartment, even if she's with Cashmere of all people.
"Did anything happen? While you were waiting for me?"
Johanna turns on her side to face Cashmere, unsure what she means by this question. "No. I just drank the coffee and waited, and this stupid guard said he needed to check that I could go. I figured it was that the security is higher after the plane crash."
"Weird."
They don't speak anymore after that. Johanna can feel herself growing tired, and Cashmere's breathing is slowing down as well. She shifts on the bed, and without realizing it, her head falls onto Cashmere's shoulder. She goes to move, but Cashmere shifts as well, making her arm more comfortable, and then settles, so Johanna takes this as permission to stay. It's strange, laying with Cashmere. It's nothing like being with Finnick, but it's not unpleasant. It's a bit of a challenge to spend time with someone as acerbic as she is, but on the outside, Cashmere is all soft lines and perfect aesthetics. It's hard to look at her and it's also hard to look away.
When Johanna wakes up, it's to Cashmere shaking her, shifting underneath, and the light in the room has faded to evening. "Get up, we have to get to Remake."
Johanna sits up, and Cashmere smirks at her appearance, shifting her hair with her perfectly manicured fingertips. It's gentle, and it's almost enough. "Ugh, Gloss is going to kill me. But it might be ok if I can get money from Hattie tonight." And then Cashmere lights a zinger cigarette and her expression changes to that other woman, the career victor, and Johanna wonders how she'd ever seen something precious in this woman who is obviously happy with letting things continue as they are. The moment fades, and she returns to play her part at the Games.