𝒜fterglow ୨୧ katniss everdeen

iii. ( hope )

The two finally separated when more people started to file into the room. Beatrice laughed wryly when she saw Johanna dressed as a tree. The brunette flipped her off and went to converse with the pair from District Eight.

Beatrice turned her attention to the next tribute to enter the room. The girl was wearing a tight fitting jumpsuit, smokey makeup, and her hair in an intricate updo. Katniss Everdeen, Beatrice thought. The Girl on Fire always fascinated Beatrice. She didn't know if it was the fact that she escaped death with such little consequences, the reputation she had built up, or that her aura was just so mysterious.

Finnick snapped her out of her staring. "Shall we go talk to Ms. Everdeen?"

Beatrice shrugged with a smirk. "Why not? But don't scare her, Finnick."

"No promises." He said slyly. He took a couple sugar cubes from the horses and waltzed towards Katniss. Beatrice rolled her eyes and followed him.

Katniss was petting the horse's mane as the pair walked over.

"Katniss!" Finnick exclaimed and stood in front of her, Beatrice to his side. The blonde girl gave Katniss a sweet smile. Katniss couldn't tell if it was supposed to be kind or threatening.

"Finnick, Beatrice." Katniss greeted awkwardly. Beatrice laughed internally. She thought the brunette would be a little more confident.

"Do you want a sugar cube?" The man said and held out his hand. Finnick was holding himself high, probably trying to look more menacing. In all honesty, Katniss looked more annoyed of him than scared.

Finnick continued. "I mean, they're supposed to be for the horses. But who cares about them, right? They've got years to eat sugar while us three, well, if we see something sweet, we better grab it." Beatrice rolled her eyes at his attempt to talk to the girl.

Katniss gave him an awkward smile while continuing to pet the horse. "No thanks. But I would love to borrow that outfit someday." She said sarcastically at the end. Beatrice cracked up a little bit and Katniss gave her a surprised but amused look.

"You look amazing in that getup. But what hat happened to those pretty dresses? The Capitol citizens wouldn't stop talking about them." Beatrice asked her with an award-winning grin.

"I outgrew them." Katniss said quickly.

"You certainly did." Beatrice remarked. Katniss gave her a subtle glare and Beatrice just smirked.

"Shame about this Quell thing. You could have made out like a bandit in the Capitol. Jewels, money, anything you wanted." Finnick spoke. He was really just teasing her. Finnick and Beatrice's time in the Capitol was absolutely unspeakable. Snow selling their bodies like objects was the most horrid thing that had ever happened to her, and she had been through the Hunger Games. Not having control and ownership of your own body was so vile, the worst thing someone could put another human through.

"Well, I don't like jewels and I have more money than I need. What did you two do with all your wealth, anyway?" Katniss said, a lower lying hint of disgust seeping into her voice.

"We haven't dealt with anything as common as money in years." Finnick said slyly.

"Then how do people pay for the pleasure of your company?" Katniss said patronizingly. Beatrice knew she didn't know the real truth behind it but she still rolled her eyes.