Five years later
The life of a victor was more tolerable with the family that I had created.
With Mags as our adoring grandmother with a love for checkers, Haymitch and Atlas as our weird drunk Uncles- providing endless, questionable advice. Ophelia and Reign, the wise, comforting presences with two utter hurricanes of children we adored so much. Annie and Blaze, a married couple of five years, were still growing into it, but it has been a beautiful journey so far. Lorelei came next, followed by the newest addition, Johanna.
Lorelei's jaw dropped to the ground the first day she saw Johanna Mason punch a Capitol man in the face for looking at her funny. Quickly, alongside Annie, the four of us had become a group of comfort to each other. But she and Lorelei had always been just that little bit closer.
I, like Atlas and Haymitch had done, was the one to drag Johanna away from the President's quarters, kicking and screaming as she begged to rip the monster's throat out. I promised her that her time would come.
But much like everyone else, I was questioning, When?
Plutarch and I had made correspondence only a few times, he told me he was waiting for something- and I didn't know what it was until last year. When two children stepped out of the arena instead of one. Lovers, allegedly, willing a mouthful of berries instead of an eternity apart, it was all it took for the rumblings to begin again, the time was coming, fast.
Particularly when it was announced that Plutarch Heavensbee would become the Head Game maker.
Riots had begun in the district, but all of them had been demonetised from the press, many injured people flooded into the gates of the victor's village on those days, seeking healing and protection from the violence of the protests- we couldn't give much, but we gave everything we could.
Perhaps for me, it was out of guilt, knowing the influence that my family had in a primary amount of the destruction, knowing our relationships would never be healed. Asher had joined them recently, all that was left at home was Addison, who was attempting to rekindle her relationship with her former best friend, Annie.
Bringing us to the present.
Finnick and I sat in the Hadrianus house as the married couple were out on the town, we'd promised to babysit, with a lack of painting and food fights which we'd been reprimanded for in the past.
Apparently, we were not mature enough to be babysitters.
Seven-year-old Phoenix and five-year-old Astrid, on the lounge chairs, upside down, groaning in complaints at the lack of activities we were permitted to do with the children. No paint, no messy. No baking, too chaotic. No form of contact sport, too competitive. No storytelling, Ophelia and Reign were left to clean up the 'where do babies come from' mess of last time. I will swear to my grave that was Finnick's fault, he will forever protest it was mine.
"It's a nice day outside," Finnick said, peering at the utterly abysmal looking sky, foreboding grey clouds covering the district, turning everything, it touched into a bleak, unpleasant atmosphere. "We could go for a walk on the beach?" He suggested to the children who eyed him were displeasure.
"Uncle Finn that's so boring," Astrid groaned.
Her older brother nodded in agreement, "That's what old married people do," Phoenix added, pointing between Finnick and me.
"Uh, uh, we're not married," I argued.
"Well, you're about to be," Astrid argued back, bounding across the couch to examine the pearl ring on my hand, "Gross," she said, noticing the smile Finnick and I shared at the thought.
Marriage.
It had been a long shot, considering Finnick's role in the Capitol and the total lack of safety for both parties involved. But the most outlandish thing was when we were down on one knee on top of the cliffside we had been on so many times, I didn't care about the risks, or what would come after. At that moment, I hadn't wanted anything except him.
And with every day that passed, I felt no regret for saying yes.
The front door slammed shut and Finnick and I shot up in utter shock at the noise, in hurtled the group of victors from District Four, each of them looking as in distress as the next.
We were in the bring of the Quarter Quell, the announcement would be made tonight of its conditions, but it was not that kind of fear in their eyes. This was a different kind, the kind that made people wish they could pull memories from their temples and obliterate them from existence. It was the kind of fear that locked children away and had even the strongest of people bowing their heads in submission.
"Phoenix, Astrid, go upstairs, please," Reign said calmly to his children, who both groaned, but obliged at the stern look their mother gave them following. They scrambled upstairs to their rooms as the rest of the victors piled onto the lounges, heads bowed with anxiety.
"What did you see?" Annie asked Ophelia, sitting on the floor in front of the older woman and putting her hand over the top of Ophelia's to comfort her. Annie and Blaze had been a great addition to the group that resided in the village, though Annie had her struggles, she was a sweet woman who took care of everyone as best she could. Luckily, her husband Blaze was by her side to remind her to take care of herself.
"The pier," Ophelia stared, her voice cracking with anxiety, "They had a lineup, arms bound, weight tied to their ankles," Annie's hand retracted in realisation, a short gasp escaping her throat and her hand reaching up to cover her mouth. Mags leaned out and touched the younger girl on the shoulder supportively.
"Executions," Finnick realised, sliding his hand into mine and running his finger over the pearl engagement ring he had gifted me with, "First the curfew, then the beatings and now- this?"
"They're instilling fear- followed by anger," I stated, Heavensbee's idea, no doubt- prick. "Everyone wants Everdeen to play the hero, but all their seeing of her is the lovestruck ditz the Capitol wants her to be,"
Katniss Everdeen was no ditz- all the victors knew that well.
What kind of ditz would have the guts to pull a handful of poison berries out in the dying moments of the Games? Who is brave enough to defy the Capitol and the President himself in such a public manner? Katniss Everdeen, recently engaged to the love of her life would be a force to be reckoned with.
A Peeta Mellark was the mastermind behind the whole story.
"They're executing all the market vendors- anyone who fishes outside of Capitol jurisdiction is going down, Reign tried to stop it, but all we got was a gun to the head," Ophelia said, leaning her head tiredly on her husband's shoulder.
"The broadcast is about to begin," Mags signed, the group of us stood up, Reign called the two children down the stairs, and we began to walk into the square together. Finnick and I were to be the mentors again this year, we were the most popular of the District Four victors, and people would be more likely to sponsor our tributes with our faces at the forefront of the campaign. This meant more appointments, more nights trying to forget- it was our personal hell.
There were only a few cameras zipping around the square, most of them were focused on Annie and Blaze, who were currently under speculation about a secret pregnancy. A total lie, fabricated perhaps to scare Annie into complying. The President had requested it several times, but shockingly, he had respected Annie's wishes when she screamed obscenities at him and marched away in distress.
The group of Victors stood at the front of the crowd, Finnick and I stood side by side, his pinkie finger interlinked with mine comfortingly. Whatever twist was added to the games, Finnick and I would be the ones to see our tributes through. Last Quarter Quell, there had been double the tributes, Haymitch Abernathy had been the sole survivor- it had destroyed him entirely.
The large screen blinked to life and the anthem began to play, every member of the district awaited with bated breaths as the President walked slowly into the forefront of the image. Finnick muttered several curses under his breath at the appearance of the man and I chuckled beside him, his arm wrapped around my waist, and I leaned into him, resting my head on his shoulder.
We'd become more reckless since the engagement, neither of us really cared who saw us together anymore, perhaps that was why the cameras had been so far away from us, directed at the married couple who were supposed to be. Finnick and I were never part of the President's master plan, soon enough he'd tell us exactly that, followed by threats on our lives.
The President opened a parchment envelope, unfolding the paper to read the contents inside, "On the 75th anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that even the strongest among them cannot overcome the power of the Capitol, the male and female tributes will be reaped from their existing pool of victors."
The existing pool of victors. Mags, Reign, Ophelia, Annie, Myself.
Finnick.
His eyes were already on me with devastation as I looked up at him wearing a similar expression. From the back of the crowd, I heard the heartbroken scream of Addison, my sister who would lose everything once more. Reign and Ophelia were clinging to each other, sobbing quietly, and clutching their children in their arms. Mags and Blaze attempted to comfort a shaking Annie, who had collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily, and letting out choked sobs.
It was as if Finnick and I were thinking the same thoughts.
Mags was too frail.
Reign and Ophelia had a family.
Annie was too young, too broken.
That left two- Finnick Odair, the male tribute, a picture of health and fitness- no known family, nothing to lose.
Aurora Hartley, the female tribute, a fighter who can kill as easily as she breathes.
The only thing we had to lose was each other.
It would be Finnick and I going back, our wedding would never occur, in two weeks, one, or both of us would be dead. The group of victors stood motionless as the peacekeepers forced the commonfolk out of the square. Soon enough, their guns were on our backs as we were pushed like a herd of cows back down to the gates of the victor's village. "We'll talk about it tomorrow," Reign said quietly as we stood in a circle.
"There's nothing to say," Finnick responded in a soft voice, he was trying to stay calm- to not break down in front of the group, "I'm the one going back,"
"As am I," I added, taking Finnick's hand in mine, "I'm not putting any of you through the games again- and I'm not letting Finnick go in there alone,"
"We'll talk about it tomorrow," Reign said with greater finality, looking at the both of us, but all of us knew we would come to the same conclusion tomorrow. Blaze directed Annie and Mags back to their house that they shared, it was a development that had been beneficial to all of them. Mags needed extra help around the house, and Annie needed comfort for someone with a shared experience. Reign and Ophelia were holding the hands of their children as they walked back to their house.
Finnick and I walked hand in hand to my house, "Do you want to stay tonight?" I asked him quietly, my voice breaking slightly as I peered up at his numb face. He didn't say anything, but he nodded, squeezing my hand. Everyone would be spending the night with the people they loved, it was only fair that Finnick and I did the same.
I unlocked the door to my house and the two of us slipped inside, closing the door to escape the outside air. As soon as the door closed, Finnick's lips were on mine in a desperate kiss, his hands on either side of my face as mine ran through his hair. Perhaps it was a goodbye, our last night together before our world as we knew it came to an end. His hands ran down the sides of my body to my waist. He broke the kiss as he whispered breathlessly in my ear "Jump"
He was carrying me up the stairs and into the bedroom, the whole ordeal felt rather messy, raw, perhaps even a little rebellious. But we needed it, we needed the closeness that we provided each other, we needed to feel like we at least had something, someone. His lips we on my neck as I tugged at the hem of his shirt, pulling it over his head. He unbuttoned my blouse, slowly, tantalisingly, leaving the top of my body exposed.
He pulled my body flush with him as he whispered huskily into my skin, "Tell me, what you want."
With a sudden burst of confidence, I pushed him onto the bed, crawling on top of him, one leg on either side of his waist. I leaned down, trapping him in another kiss as I whispered breathlessly against his lips "I want you beneath me,"
He groaned leaning his head back as I kissed the base of his neck, "What are you doing to me, love?"
It was messy, raw, desperate- but it was us.
LMAO