fic: Until Your Last Heartbeat: 3 -- Because She Came Here With Me (3/5)

[azelmaroark]

Title: Because She Came Here With Me
Author: azelmaroark
Rating: Hard T (harm to animals, language, child abuse, kids killing people, and brief implied underage sex)
Characters/Pairings: Clove, Cato, various D2 OCs
Summary: She's not sorry. And neither are they.
Notes: This is a short series of fics in this universe about Cato and Clove's experiences

Comments

[tastewithtalent]

God, the first scene of this chapter is so striking. I really appreciate how aware Cato and Clove both are about what is coming; that they are ready for it, expecting it, know what is going to happen. The detail of their scars: 'theirs and theirs alone until this moment,' is particularly breathtaking, and particularly sad, because they feel like something personal that will be stripped like everything else personal they have has been stripped away.

'They don't ask her.' I like that even as the prep team is fretting over her they treat her as a toy, not as a person. 'Red is a good color for you' made me laugh, just a little. And then 'We'll get rid of all those ugl scars,' it doesn't even need any commentary from Clove to make the disconnect between their perspective and hers clear.

I love Cato and Clove comparing the endearments they receive, and how abruptly they shift from teasing to honest. It's so painful and so great.

'The other Tributes, the meat,' jesus christ, what a vicious line, what a great characterization. I really love how practiced and polished Clove and Cato's responses are, that they key off each other; that Clove poses to demonstrate her shoulder definition, that she gives 'a careful reminder to watch her without begging for viewers,' that Clove's silence at Cato's comment undermines the joke into a threat, that part is particularly genius. And the camerawoman is so much more chilling that Cato or Clove ever are; that casual line about "/I'm/ going to be sorry to see them go!" is especially horrifying in its flippancy.

'Clove's laugh is real this time' is such a good line, I love that you frame it all by itself in its own line. And that moment of Clove watching the other Tributes, noting their weaknesses and their panic; it's a great moment, really vivid and clear, and the summary: 'She's not sorry. And neither are they.' I love how aware Clove is of what's going on, of the game she's playing; it's a relief, in some ways, to have her calling out the Capitol on the hypocrisy of all of this by playing along precisely.

The details of Clove watching Cato's interview are really particularly painful; the reminder that she didn't expect this, that this isn't the way it was supposed to be, is particularly well-timed after the almost-satisfaction of them owning the initial conversation with the camerawoman. It's nice, too, to have Peeta's confession simplified so much, that this change in perspective has such a dramatic shift in the story that is being told.

I appreciate that Clove assumes there are cameras watching her, that she has only half-changed out of her interview style. 'This is affection they both understand' is beautiful, painfully sweet to have set in such surroundings. 'It was never about the glitter, and they both know it.' God, that is. Wow. What a great line.

'Against her will, Clove laughs, and it isn't fair.' Jesus. This scene is breaking me apart, and I love it, it's so painful and so so well-done. And that conversation about Katniss and Peeta; that they both see the danger, that Cato knows 'what a lovestruck boy looks like' is actually very funny in the middle of a really serious conversation. I like how casually physical Cato is, how easy it is for them to be together like this; neither of them think of it as anything unusual, and it really shows in their interactions.

I love how dead-on Clove is: "People only like her because of him." I mean, in the end of course Katniss does pull through, but it's a lot of luck and it is true, she's /not/ very popular; that really is Peeta's doing, Clove is right.

"I'm going to miss you." And I'm shattered, god, this is so painful. 'She cannot say this to Cato. It hurts too much.' Wow, this is so. 'Cheapening with romance,' wow, I have chills, that is /such/ an amazing line and a really elegant tie-in to the title of the chapter.

The description of Clove running for the Cornucopia is amazing. It feels vivid and fast and vicious and I love it so, so much. 'That's not what she's here to do' is beautiful, especially right against "Remember what you're here to do," jesus, this is amazing, this is such a striking end to the chapter, and such a nice contrast to the structured-elegance of the beginning.