The Life of A Victor || Finnick Odair

CHAPTER 7

He hadn't said his nightmares about loud before. That had helped him convince himself it was just a dream. But it wasn't entirely a dream. He had killed people. He had killed his own ally.

"It wasn't your fault," Dove said. She didn't know what to say apart from that. 'It's not your fault, but the Capitol's. It's Snow's fault. You just did what you had to do to survive'. If only I could say this, but that would be 'enticing a rebellion', as they say. The girl looked into her brother's eyes. 

His light brown eyes were darker than ever before. Tears covered his eyes, falling to his chin. His trembling hands grabbed hers, making small patters on the back of her hands with his thumbs. Fuck it. She thought. 

"You did what you had to do to survive," Dove blurted out. She didn't understand how he felt. Even though she tried to, she couldn't understand, but she wanted to reassure him the only way she could think of.

He just chuckled lightly at his sister's word choice. "Yeah, survive." His eyes were still on the little one's hands. He hadn't lifted them since the moment he started drawing the patterns to her hands. He could feel the worried expressions coming from his sisters, but he couldn't think of anything reassuring. He had enough with his destructive thoughts.

"Girls, why don't you go down and prepare dinner?" Both girls got the message. Their mother wanted to have a private chat with Melo, for what they supposed would be a 'Victor to Victor' type of chat. Dove let go of her brother's hands gently. Both girls went outside the room, careful not to make noise. They prepared the table, decorated the living room, and cooked the best they could. In a matter of minutes, dinner time came.

"Dove, go tell Mum and Melo to come down, OK? I'll serve the dinner in the meantime." Dove nodded and went upstairs to her brother's room. Remembering the serious face their mother made before sending the girls down, she decided on knocking. Making sure she didn't interrupt the chat abruptly. But before she could, she accidentally overheard her mother's words. 

"Whatever you do, accept the deal he'll give you. Your sisters' life will be in danger if you refuse." What!? Her hand involuntarily slammed against the door, out of shock. I'm not good at eavesdropping discreetly. 

"Hey Mum, Melo. It's me. Angel told me to ask you to come down as soon as you can. Everything is ready," she said behind the door. "Sure, dear. We'll be there right away," her mother replied. She hummed and went back downstairs to confront her sister's expecting expression. "They'll be down in a bit,"

Should I tell Angel? No, I don't think so. Mum made us both go down for a reason. I wasn't meant to know the deal they were talking about. Dove thought. 

Maybe, if anyone knows that I'm aware of its existence, I'll get into serious trouble. Mum said if Melo refused, it would endanger Angel and I's life. Only one person would have enough power to do something like this. President Snow. The rambling inside her head was getting to much to cope with.

That means if I show to know about this deal, he might punish Melo for not keeping it hidden correctly. Wait, mum knew about it and even advised him. Does mum have one too? Do... Do all Victors have their own deals? The realisation hit her like a blow to her lungs. 

A pair of sea-green eyes stopped her from overthinking any further. Finnick watched her from his living room window. Just like in the Reaping day. . . Doesn't matter. I have to do something about the hyperventilating, or Finnick will notice something's wrong. Dove encouraged herself in her mind as she tried her best to calm her breathing.

"Deep breath in, deep breath out," she muttered, matching her respiration with her words. After a few seconds, she felt better. Looking back to where the boy had been watching her, she found no one. He must have gone to eat already. At least he didn't notice anything, right?

"Dove, everything's set. Where do you want to sit?" her sister asked her. "I'll sit next to you. It's closer to the juice," the redhead joked, looking at her older sister, who replied with a smirk. Footsteps were heard coming down the stairs. Everyone took their seats, grabbed their cups, and made a toast to the new Victor for his long-awaited return home.

Dinner was pleasant for everyone except Dove. She had too many things in mind to concentrate on anything else. Even though she tried, she couldn't take the thoughts of the deal out of her head. Do really all Victors have deals? If they do... Are they different? What's mum's deal? Muscida's? Mags'? All the questions didn't leave her mind, but she couldn't have answers. 

At least not direct answers. Asking about it would mean admitting to know about the interaction between President Snow and the Victors. It would mean death. 

I have to study everyone's moves even more closely now. What they say before going to their annual visit to the Capitol. What their interview questions are about, their expressions at every question. I have to be careful not to get caught. President Snow might do something to my family or me if he finds out. She kept thinking of what could happen if she was found out. Every thought was worse than the last.

The rest of the day passed by unnoticed. The family had been all together through it, not leaving each other for a second. Even to cook supper, everyone followed the boy to the kitchen and helped him out in what they could. They ate on the kitchen counter. It was a quick meal, so going to the living room would be a waste of time. 

As the night approached, everyone gave their goodnight wishes, and went to their respective bedrooms. Dove tossed around on her bed, too nervous to fall asleep. She wondered about the possibility that everything she lived was a dream. What if I fall asleep and wake up to find out Melo is still in the Arena? I won't be able to cope with that. Is he even going to be alright alone in his room? Should I go there to check on him? Or will I find out another thing I'm not supposed to know?

A couple of hours later, the girl was still awake. Her mind overthinking every little detail. She couldn't sleep. It didn't matter what she tried to do. She had tried laying with her eyes closed. Standing in front of the window to feel the breeze of the sea. She had even tried reading a book. There was only one thing left to try. 

Putting on her coat and grabbing her boots, she made her way out of the house cautiously, trying not to wake anyone up. Once she was outside, she put on her boots and walked to the beach. District Four's beach had something magical to her, not that she had been to any other beach, of course. But it was still special.

As she approached the shore, she noticed a figure sitting on the sand. It wasn't strange for someone to be there, but it still surprised her. She wasn't expecting any company. Of course, the beach was huge, and she could go anywhere else, but the place the figure was sitting on happened to be her favourite. 

There were barely any lights around, which only complicated discovering the figure's identity. She kept walking towards them until the person turned around, startled. Guess they weren't expecting company either.

"Dove? Is that you?" She recognised the voice instantly. The person she had been staring at since earlier was no one other than Finnick Odair. 

"Yeah. Are you OK? Why are you here all alone?" Dove stood confused at the boy. Why would he be on the beach, staring at nothing in the middle of the night? Not that she was there for a better reason, obviously. 

"I could ask you the same. Rough night?" Even though he had started the phrase playfully, she could feel his concern through his question. 

"I asked you first," she stated jokingly, sitting next to him on the sand. "And I asked you second," the boy replied in the same tone she had used, making her giggle.

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