After The Parade || @Katniss
Some people weren’t hard to read and Finnick Odair was a professional at that. It wasn’t difficult, because some of them could be clear as water and he didn’t even have to try a lot to get to their secrets. However some were a challenge. But life was nothing without a good challenge right? A few tricks in his sleeve and he would have everything that he wanted; he wouldn’t even need to ask or beg. It was easy like that, but it was something that he learned through the years. Obviously that he wasn’t proud of what he did - or does - but it was the only way to get some benefits from this nightmare. “I knew about the Quarter Quell since your Victor Tour.” Finnick revealed lowly after awhile as he was trying to keep the suspense in their conversation. Or maybe it was because he knew that she wanted something more interesting than this revelation. Something about President Snow of course. Instead he wasn’t going to tell her anything about that, because it wasn’t the time for that right now.
“You are going back to the arena so what about this time? Did you have time to teach him? It wasn’t like you two are strange no. I heard you two are engaged, right?” A small knowingly smile crossed his lips when he asked that, but Finnick didn’t say anything directly about that anyway. There was no need of that since he knew that all of them needed to sacrifice something or someone in their lives to keep the Capitol happy with their own decisions. It was stupid, because it wasn’t like they could have a simple normal life. Everything was in function of the Capitol. It was pointless to fight against that.”It’s a shame that he isn’t quiet. Sometimes that can feed a family.” He simply commented with an obvious double meaning in that. If someone wasn’t quiet, that someone wouldn’t be good at hunting. Deeply down Finnick believed that was how Katniss knew how to use the bow and arrow. He remembered asking Haymitch about that, but the District Twelve mentor just ignored him and continued to drink from his bottle. “I don’t think the arena is going to be like that this year anyway.”
She stared at him. How did he know about the Quarter Quell? It hadn’t even been announced yet. She clentched her teeth to prevent her from saying anything stupid, even though deep down she wanted to yell and scream to everyone about how Finnick knew this piece of information. Stay cool, Everdeen. She thought to herself. Instead, she slowly took in a deep breath and spoke, “How? How did you out of everyone know that before all of us?” She rose her brow. Katniss didn’t think that that was really fair, but she truthfully was happy she didn’t have to know any sooner. She liked not knowing.
Engaged? Everything was hitting Katniss so fast. Especially this whole love thing with Peeta. Most of the time Peeta wouldn’t even talk to her about his plan before telling everyone else which made her angry or he’d tell her and then tell everyone else like crazy. It made her dizzy and fustrated. “No… I, I didn’t have time, actually. I mean, I wasn’t blessed with knowing the Quarter Quell so early like you were. And yes, we are engaged. But so what? Just because we are engaged doesn’t mean we don’t have problems or that we don’t have alone time.” She breathed in slowly again, trying to maintain her stability.
I will try and be on tonight. Sorry for not being on, it’s just, my mom had a heart attack so it’s been pretty hectic in my house lately.
After The Parade || @Katniss
For a moment Finnick looked with curiosity at Katniss. Was she trying to play with him right now or did she really mean what he told her? Secrets were supposed to be kept away from everything and that’s why they were secrets. That was one of the main reasons why he stopped accepting gifts like jewelry and money as a payment for his job and decided to ask for secrets; because it was something that he could use against the Capitol one day. Maybe that moment was now and this time President Snow wouldn’t even realize what was going on under his nose until it was too late. But again that was only a ‘maybe’ right? Everything could happen. “It’s with secrets that you win wars.” He simply told her, trying to see if she would catch the hint.
Finnick laughed at Katniss explication. He wasn’t that stupid. Someone with a brain wouldn’t fall for that, because it was a too obvious. Unlike the girl from District One last last - what was her name? Glimmer? - Katniss didn’t only know how to use a bow and an arrow; she knew how to hunt the preys. That was something that it was obvious for a few mentors. “No harm at all.” He told her with a small smirk on his thin lips as he shook his head. Finnick crossed his arms over his chest as he looked forward at Peeta for a moment. The boy was still in his own world so he didn’t even realize when Finnick tilted his head at his direction before he looked back down at Katniss. “What about him? Why didn’t you teach your lover boy how to use the bow and arrow like you?” He asked, adding in the end. “Isn’t he quiet enough?”
Katniss had caught on to his comment and she looked at him with wide eyes. It was clear to her who he had dirt on, President Snow. Thoughst were rushing through her mind now and all she wanted to know was what Finnick knew that was so secretive. It had to be something good, something worth knowing, something that could tear down Snow quicker than an arrow. She stared at Finnick, the only words running through her mind now were, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me. How did Finnick expect her to go on without knowing what he knew. It was already driving her crazy.
She glared at him, sighing, “Exactly, no harm.” She quirked her brow and smiled innocently. He knew and she could tell in his small comeback and his body language. But, what really got her was bringing up Peeta. She furrowed her brow and shook her head at Finnick, “It’s not that I didn’t want to teach him, we just didn’t have a lot of time, and I wasn’t friends with him before the Games, and,” she paused, “No, he isn’t quiet.” She glared at him, knowing that he meant something else in his last sentence, but Katniss hadn’t quite figured out it’s meaning yet.
After The Parade || @Katniss
Katniss’s first question actually made him smirk. Not because it was difficult to answer her, but because it was a seriously pointless question. Wasn’t it obvious? Finnick always thought that secrets were important for the Capitol. If you knew them, you would be able to use them for your own benefit when you needed it. It was the only way that they had to play around President Snow and his cruel plans. “To use them to save our own skin.” He pointed that out, shrugging his shoulders at that. Looking at her for the corner of his sea-green eyes, Finnick turned to look around the group of tributes around him. The most familiar ones to him were still talking, but the two tributes from District Two - Brutus and Enobaria - were already walking toward the Center Training elevator. One more district and it was his turn. Finally some rest. The muscles from his back were already hurting from tiredness and the Capitol train’s bed from earlier didn’t help; the mattress was so hard.
To be honest Finnick didn’t listen to what Katniss asked him, but he was almost sure that it was something about the secrets that he knew. “Oh Katniss. If i told you all the secrets that i know, you would wish to not know them in the end at all.” He simply told her. Would she play it right if she knew about them? Probably not. With the Hunger Games from last year the mentors - the now tributes - learned something about Katniss Everdeen; she was impulsive. And right now that wasn’t something that they needed right now. Not with the plan that they were planning on. “No secrets at all?” He asked, wiggling his eyebrows charmingly. “So tell me. Where did you learn how to use a bow and an arrow?” Finnick asked with an knowingly smile on his lips when he looked down at her.
Katniss rolled her eyes and frowned. She was bored with Finnick teasing her about his secrets. It was obvious to her that he wasn’t going to tell her, which made her a little angry. She hated when people told her they knew something and then wdon’t tell her. It’s fustrationg and annoying. She shrugged, “That’s why you won’t tell the world. Then you still have the secrets if needed.” She rose her brow and followed Finnicks glance to the elevator. Oh, how she would do anything to go upstairs and sleep, but they were only on District two which meant ten more districts before her, Peeta, Haymitch, and Cinna could go upstairs to the apartment.
She shook her head, maybe what Finnick knew was boring? Nah, she knew better than to think that. He obviously had dirt on someone, and someone high in power which made her want to know all the more. She tried to hide her glare that she wanted to give him for bringing up her so called secret. “My dad taught me. What’s the harm in that?” She asked, acting casual. Her brow was raised, and she knew that Finnick could probably see right through her lies, but she coud care less. He wasn’t going to get anything out of her.
After The Parade || @Katniss
Nodding his head at that, Finnick leaned slightly closer to her like he was about to tell her one of his secrets. “To be honest with you?” His sea-green eyes roamed around the Center Training porch at the others tributes before he continued. “They were all surprised with you last year. Some of them even bet for Cashmere and Gloss boy to win.” He confessed to her with a small smirk on his lips. One thing he expected her to know: the bets weren’t official for members of the games; so the mentors weren’t allowed to bet on their tributes. So technically, what Finnick was telling her was a secret already. “But how would that be fun to me, huh?” He asked with a sly expression on his face. “If we told everyone our secrets, we would have nothing to play with. Besides why would people like you want secrets like mine? I admit some are very interesting, but they aren’t fun.” He shook his head. Through the years Finnick Odair decided that the best payment that he could have with his duties were secrets. Some were just trivial and with no interest. Mere confessions from the women of the Capitol who were frustrated with their lives and luxuries. However some secrets that he kept, Finnick didn’t even have the guts to repeat them out loud. Not because he was scared, but he knew that he would need them soon. It was the only way that he had to use them for his own benefit and against President Snow. What a joy. “Why don’t we have a ‘share afternoon’? I tell you a few of mine and you tell me some of yours. Everyone has secrets. Even the Girl On Fire.” He tilted his head suggestively at her.
Katniss rose her brow, she could care less about who bets on her and who doesn’t. Finnick was holding out on her, she knew it, and it was driving her crazy. “Why do we need things to play with?” She asked, smirking. “Plus, you wouldn’t have to tell them to everyone, just me. And, I don’t care if they’re fun or not, if they’re intresting, I want to know.” She rose her brow and nodded. She knew Finnick would never spill, but she had the right to try, right? “I have nothing to hide. No secrets, no nothing.” But, she knew thaty wasn’t one-hundred precent true. She did secretly hunt outside of the fence in her District, but besides that, what other secrets did she have? Nothing. And why would Finnick be intrested in knowing that one lousy secret of her’s anyways?
A Rude Awakening || Katniss & Haymitch
How could Peeta not get this? He was in the same situation as her. Though Peeta was liked more then Katniss, since back in the area the berries weren’t his idea but hers. Haymitch still didn’t get why she was freaking out about it, it was no big deal. Well to Haymitch it wasn’t that big of a deal. “Peeta’s in the same situation as you sweetheart, you don’t think you both can cope together?” Haymitch shook his head and took another swig.
He looked around his house not seeing anything wrong with it. Yes, it was a little bit messy but not that bad. He noticed that to other people it smelled, but to him he smelled nothing. He just got used to the smell of the liquor that filled his house. “No.” he said coldly. The thought of having someone clean his house made him feel a bit uneasy. The people was a stranger, and Haymitch wasn’t really great with strangers.
Katniss shook her head, “I don’t want to cope with Peeta. I don’t want him to know that I’m having a hard time.” Was that really the reason she didn’t want to talk to him? No, she wasn’t sure. Maybe it was because she didn’t want Gale seeing her with Peeta or maybe it was because the thought of loosing Peeta really did disturb her. She just couldn’t figure it out, but whatever it was, it made her feel uneasy.
She rose a brow, “Oh, come on! I’ll make sure it’s someone nice. Like Gale’s mom, she’s nice, and she needs a job. I bet she’d come clean the house for you.” She smiled hopefully. “I mean, you can’t actually say you like living like this, Haymitch.” She looked around, moving a bottle with her foot. “You could just try it. If you don’t like it, then you can fire her.”
A Rude Awakening || Katniss & Haymitch
Haymitch just glared at her, too tired to even give a response. “Why don’t you ask Peeta, both of you can cope with the fear of going back into the arena together.” he said bitterly. Haymitch obviously was in a bad mood, it always happened when he didn’t get the right amount of sleep. The thought of him going back into the area wasn’t in his mind, since it obviously wasn’t going to happen even if he does get picked. When he realized that Katniss wasn’t going to leave he stepped aside from the door and let her walk in.
When Katniss was inside his home he shut the door. Haymitch walked over to the cupboard that held his liquor and grabbed another bottle. Biting the cap of with his teeth he took a seat in the spot he was sleeping. Haymitch took a large swig and slouched into his seat. He had no care in the world that his house was a pigpen, he wasn’t going to clean anything. “So what is it?” he asked taking another drink.
Katniss rose her brow, “No, I don’t want to talk to Peeta. Peeta doesn’t understand.” She glanced over at his house again, making a face. “He doesn’t get any of it.” She siad softly, zoned out. She shook her head, getting her mind to come back to earth as she looked at Haymitch again. She wasn’t going to leave. She’d stand on his porch all day if she had to and she’d scream to him from his window.
Katniss smiled slightly as she walked into the thing he called a home. She made a face as she saw all the bottles everywhere and the house wrenched of alcohol. She walked deeper into the house and took a seat across from Haymitch in a chair that she had to empty bottles from. She looked at him. “You know, I could find you someone to help clean this place up. You wouldn’t have to do anything. She’d do all the work and you’d get a clean place to live.” She smiled at him.
Katniss thought that the Games were over, that they had ended. That her pain and suffering had terminated and her and Peeta were the winners of the 74th annual Hunger Games, but, that wasn't the case. The Quarter Quell, an event that happens every twenty-five years and this year was that event and the special twist to the Games this year was victors being rechosen for the Games. How will Katniss be able to cope with having to leave her family once again to go into an arena where she isn't sure she'll make it out alive? We'll see during this years 75th annual, Hunger Games. May the odd be ever in your favor!
