"A Phoenix must burn before it rises."
OR
In which two tributes not only find their way back to the Hunger Games, but back to each other.
Finnick Odair x Fem OC
Catching Fire
Book 1 in the 'Phoenix' series
Started...
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Phoenix's eyes were tightly shut, her slightly bloodied hands pressed against the side of her head. She hadn't even noticed the small streaks of blood on her hands that had dripped down from her ringing ears. Still holding herself tight to block the noise, she hadn't realized that the hour was finally up.
A pair of large hands pressed down on her shoulders, making Phoenix flinch violently. She hadn't even realized how much her whole body was shaking until the steady hands met her trembling frame. Slowly lowering her hands from her ears, she looked up and to her immense relief, saw Finnick. Her chest heaved, and the fear that had held so tightly began to fade.
The man looked nearly heartbroken as he finally faced Phoenix without the forcefield between them. When Phoenix met his gaze, she saw his tear-stained cheeks reflecting off the light. Finnick was at her side in an instant, pulling her close and holding her tightly against him. He rocked her gently, keeping a hand on her back as she trembled in an attempt to calm her down.
"It was her, Finnick. It was Canary," Phoenix said, with tears still streaming down her face. Inside, she wrestled with herself, unsure if it was right to tell Finnick about Annie's screams. But as the young girl's cries replayed endlessly in her mind, she knew she couldn't pretend it hadn't happened. "Annie, too," she added, feeling Finnick tense from around her.
Phoenix closed her eyes tight, but the screams of the two girls kept playing over and over in her head. She couldn't hear Finnick's voice or think about anything else as he tried to calm her down. "Hey, look at me." Finnick pleaded, moving closer and gently turning her face toward him so she had to meet his eyes.
Phoenix opened her eyes again, but her gaze fell not on Finnick, but Johanna Mason. Her demeanor had changed from before, no longer showing the anger she had before the jabberjay attack. Johanna looked at Phoenix with defeat and anger in her eyes, the kind that said more than words could. It was anger meant towards the Capitol, a hatred that only seemed to grow stronger the longer she was forced to survive in the arena.
"Nixie, please look at me," Finnick pleaded, his voice heavy with sadness as he studied the numb, tear-streaked expression on her face. "What happens when it's down to the last ten tributes?" he asked, already knowing she knew the answer.
Phoenix said nothing, her breathing was slow and uneven, her eyes unfocused. The answer was there in her mind, but she couldn't bring herself to say it out loud. "They interview the families and friends of the tributes. You know they're both safe." Finnick reminded, squeezing her hand, holding on tight as he continued trying to reassure her.
On the surface, Finnick was calm. Phoenix needed him to be there for her, and he wanted nothing more than to do that. But inside, Finnick struggled with his anger and sadness, and could only keep it buried. When Annie's name slipped from Phoenix's lips, a wave of rage washed over him, and he could hardly bear to imagine what her cries must have sounded like coming from the jabberjays.
