The next three weeks would be dedicated primarily to training where the tributes would have an opportunity to practice combat skills, weaponry, and survival skills. Both Burt and Sue had made it clear that they wanted Kurt and Blaine to stick together at all times during training. Kurt wondered if they expected one of the other tributes to start something. Engaging in combat with one another before they got to the arena was a major offense but it's happened before. Kurt remembered the year one of the career tributes took out a competitor during training and the Gamemakers had both of his legs broken before sending him to the arena. He was dead within minutes. Since then there were Peacekeepers in all of the training areas. Regardless, Kurt figured if his days with Blaine were numbered, he was going to spend as much as possible with the other boy.

Breakfast and supper were held in their individual living quarters where they continued to strategize and assess the other tributes with Burt and Sue, but the afternoon meal was served in the training area with all of the other tributes. It was an uncomfortable feeling and most of the tributes simply took a plate of food and retreated to a solitary corner of the room. Kurt and Blaine of course ate together, and the career tributes from 1 and 2 sat in a group looking rather intimidating in their core alliance. They were typically joined by the male from 4 and the occasional other tribute. It wasn't uncommon for tributes to align with each other during the Games, but Kurt couldn't make himself see past the fact that being in an alliance meant that at best you would see your allies die and at worst you would have to kill them yourself. Unless of course you died first. Kurt knew that Blaine was determined to keep him alive, but he had actively avoided all thoughts that ended with Blaine's death. As the arena loomed closer, though, it was harder and harder to stop those thoughts from entering his mind.

Blaine was taking full advantage of the training sessions. He wasn't familiar with any of the available weapons, but he had impressed the instructor in the hand-to-hand combat workshop. Blaine was stronger than he looked, and his speed and flexibility gave him an edge. He also quickly picked up on knowing what body parts to aim for in order to give him the advantage in a fight. Blaine spent time sparring with trainers and learning how to use various weapons, but he knew not to show off too much with the other tributes around. He also made sure they visited the survival skills stations. Most tributes passed by without a second glance, either because they figured they'd be dead before they had a chance to use any kind of survival skill or because thought that they would have plenty of sponsors who would negate their needing to know how to overcome the elements on their own. Blaine and Kurt paid close attention to what skills were being highlighted because it usually told them a little bit about the environment they would find themselves in. There were no lessons on hunting or finding edible plants, so both boys assumed that food would be only provided at the onset of the game. They would have to make sure they got some. Blaine was pretty sure they would have some decent sponsors, but they didn't want to leave anything to chance.

When they weren't busy with training, Kurt and Blaine were being coached daily by Sue and Burt for their interviews. During the final week before the Games, each tribute would have a 10 minute interview that would be broadcast throughout the Districts and shown live in the Capitol. It was usually seen as a tribute's last chance to impress the audience and gain favor from sponsors. Burt and Sue wanted the boys to focus on their relationship because it was what set them apart from their competitors.

In the evenings when training was over for the day, the social aspect of the Games began. Endless cocktail parties and soirees took place each night with the tributes as the center of attention. Hosted by the Capitol's elite, this was a fairly new tradition that had only been around for the last couple of years. It started after Capitol sponsors had pushed for an opportunity to meet the tributes before they were sent to the arena. For the career tributes this only served to increase their advantage as they were frequently viewed as the life of the party. It also made it even more apparent that tributes from poorer districts typically lacked the social grace that the Capitol has come to expect from its victors.

This year it looked like their most formidable competition in the social arena would be from the male tribute from 4. The one who had been staring at Blaine every time they were in the same room since the opening ceremony. He had an arrogant attitude but the Capitol crowd thought of it as a cocky confidence. He was charming and a little too sexual for Kurt's liking. Not that Kurt thought he was sexy. It was more like he was trying too hard. Whenever he was in a conversation with someone, he made a point of touching them lightly or whispering seductively in their ear. No doubt he drove the girls wild back home. But Kurt couldn't shake the feeling like the boy was either interested in or intimidated by Blaine.

Sue was in her glory during the party circuit. Apparently before she took on her role of escorting tributes, she had been an award-winning coach of some kind. She was certainly well connected, and she finally had a pair of tributes worthy of showing off. Sue made sure they made the rounds at each event and were introduced to the very highest of Capitol society. Not that it was hard to seek out the important sponsors. Everyone wanted to meet the forbidden lovers from District 12. Kurt and Blaine were the center of attention all week and they played the crowd like a fine tuned instrument. Kurt couldn't believe how different the attitude toward his and Blaine's relationship were in the Capitol. Here being gay was so accepted it bordered on being trendy. Everyone he talked to seemed impressed and appalled that he had endured so much taunting from his District. They thought it was a terrible prank to select him as the female tribute. But of course they were so glad it happened because otherwise they'd never have met such a personable young man. They couldn't wait to see him succeed in the arena, and everyone looked forward to his future visits to the Capitol if he won the Games.

Burt was in the public eye as well this year. Usually being the mentor from 12 meant going largely unnoticed at these social gatherings, which Burt was just fine with. No one ever wanted to sponsor the tributes from 12 so no one paid him any attention. That wasn't the case this year. Not only did he have two handsome male tributes, but one of them was his own flesh and blood. Everyone wanted to know which boy he thought had the best chance of winning, and who he would be helping during the Games. As their mentor, Burt had control over all sponsor gifts once the Games began. So even if a sponsor had been impressed with Blaine and paid to assist him, Burt could choose to use that gift to help Kurt instead. And vice versa. Tributes were a package deal, but ultimately the mentors had to choose one over the other. Burt was clever in his responses. He presented the boys as a team rather than as adversaries. When asked, he would tell the sponsors that he had no intention of choosing between the two unless they were the last two tributes standing. While the odds of that happening were extremely slim, it had certainly crossed Burt's mind.

No one was playing the social game better than Blaine. He actually looked like he wanted to be there. It helped that he knew more of the people in the crowd than even Sue or Burt who had been coming to these events for years. These were the same people who had once paid to hear Blaine perform and waited around to meet him after a show. He had actually performed at one of the tribute parties just last year. Blaine was their prodigal son, returned to the Capitol and about to enter the arena to protect his lover. It was the best entertainment anyone could ask for. And Blaine was incredible. He was perfectly balanced between being charming, grateful, and heartbroken. Clearly the Capitol audience had been starved for angst. In over a century of the Games, they'd had year after year of violence. Kids as young as 11 were reaped for the Games and their deaths were always the most tragic. Eventually even that must get boring. But what could ever beat the possibility of two boys, deeply in love, surviving insurmountable odds to be the final two tributes? It was the ultimate sacrifice.

Kurt was talking with some older women from the Capitol about their illuminated costumes when he heard Blaine laugh from across the room. When he looked over, Kurt saw that contagious smile he loved so much. Blaine's head was thrown back in laughter and he looked happier than Kurt could remember seeing him. As if he could feel Kurt's eyes on him, Blaine looked over and smiled sweetly at Kurt. He motioned for Kurt to join him. Excusing himself, Kurt crossed the room to introduce himself to the group of sponsors around Blaine, but before he could offer so much as a handshake Blaine had pulled him in for a kiss.

The group around them “awwed” at their romance. Blushing, Kurt reminded himself that Blaine grew up attending formal events like these and knew exactly how to play a crowd. He smiled as he thought of the sponsors who were desperately hoping for a chance to help Blaine win the Games. Clearly he wasn't the only one thinking along those lines. Kurt saw the pack of career tributes, the boy from 4, and another male tribute he couldn't place standing together shooting jealous, murderous looks in their direction.

Blaine was enjoying himself. Not because he particularly liked spending time with the Capitol's elite socialites, but because his plan was now in full effect. The second Kurt's name had been called at the reaping, Blaine started thinking up a plan to get him home alive. The first stage of his plan was to volunteer and go to the Games with Kurt. That was the easy part. The next step was to make sure they were memorable in the Capitol. Their costumes at the opening ceremony and being the life of the tribute parties were crucial to fulfilling that goal. Blaine had noticed the looks they were getting from their fellow tributes. No one wanted to be overshadowed by District 12, and it was all but impossible to top the tragedy of being star-crossed lovers thrown into the Games where only one could survive. And if the other tributes were as envious as they looked, it could only mean Blaine's plan was working.

Blaine had been surrounded by sponsors and aristocrats all night. These were people he had known for most of his life. He knew how shallow and superficial their thoughts tended to be. He had lost count of the amount of times someone lamented over his moving to District 12 last year.

“We planned to attend your performance the following week. Of course were devastated to hear your father had taken a position in dreary 12 of all places. And worse, that he was taking you with him.”

“If only you'd been 18, you could have stayed in the Capitol while your father was away.”

Or about the record he had been working to produce.

“And then you left so abruptly that we knew there was no chance of your album being released.”

“We shall have to see about getting you into a studio before the Games. So we'll all have something to remember you by if anything terrible were to happen.”

Blaine had been hoping for this. Hoping that people would remember him and would ultimately choose to sponsor him and Kurt in the Games. That's why when someone dragged him to stage at the front of the room and sat him down in front of a piano, he wasn't about to argue. And he really had missed performing. Someone placed a microphone stand in front of him.

“Hi everybody. Uh, my name's Blaine and it's been a while since I've been up here in front of you guys, so just bear with me if I forget the lyrics or something.” The audience laughed as his polite modesty. He played a few bars on the piano just to get used to the feeling again. It was the one thing he wished he could have brought with him to 12, but they didn't have really have time for luxury items in the Districts. “This is the first song I ever wrote. Some of you have heard it before. For everyone else, I hope you like it. It's called ‘Human.'”

I feel like a loser.

I feel like I'm lost.

I feel like I'm not sure if I feel anything at all.

But believe me I'm not helpless

I just need someone to love.

So my situation's rough

But that just makes me a dumb human

Like you.

...

As soon as he'd played the first notes, Blaine felt something come to life again inside him. He had forgotten how much he loved to sing before a crowd. And the Capitol's high society were the perfect audience. All eyes were on Blaine as he moved through the song. Kurt had heard Blaine sing before, of course, but he'd never seen his boyfriend like this. He had started out hesitant, but Kurt watched Blaine's confidence build as he sang louder and with more passion. Blaine was born for the stage.

When the song ended, Blaine graciously declined the shouts and pleas for an encore. He assured them all that he would sing to them one more time before the Games. As the house band started back up, Blaine stepped off the stage to where Kurt was waiting and held out his hand.

“Excuse me. May I have this dance?”

“Yes. Yes you may.”

They danced with each other for a couple of songs, always allowing sponsors and socialites to cut in when asked. Kurt tried to imagine what life would be like if he and Blaine had fallen in love in the Capitol instead of 12. For one thing, they wouldn't be about to go to the Games where one or both of them would be dead within weeks. Selfishly, though, Kurt is glad that Blaine is here with him to keep him anchored and share his strength and warmth. He's never felt safer than when he's being held in Blaine's arms. Even if that safety has always been an illusion.