Disclaimer: I don't own The Hunger Games or any of its characters. Only my oc and any names I gave unnamed tributes.
A/N: Here's a new chapter! Sorry for the lack of updates. College and work keep me busy!
Any mistakes are mine!
Katniss shot the arrows rapidly with each meeting its mark head on. She shot with the skills of someone who had years to train and perfect the art. Azalea watched on the other side of the glass with the other victors watching in a mix of amazement and envy. As the last hologram fell to her marksmanship Wiress broke out into a applause which caused Katniss to spin around in alarm. With her weapon in hand, she had been lost in her own world and had been abruptly brought back. Azalea knew the feeling and couldn't help but be impressed by Katniss. This little show of her skills would make Katniss a target and also and wanted ally. She had expressed this much to Finnick but he told her Haymitch would take care of it. Katniss began to collect her arrows and the group of victors disbursed.
Azalea made her way to the plant station, passing Peeta on the way. She sent him a smile and the baker's son returned it. A few days ago she had traded an hour of hunting tips in exchange of a course in creating camouflage. The experience had made him a little more relaxed around her and she hoped she had gained an ally in him. But she couldn't pin her survival on hopes and guess so with only days left of training she had been focusing how to live off the land. Much of the things she had learned in the arena proved to either be helpful or outdated. After each day she felt more confident in her abilities, a small portion of her was ready to re-enter the arena.
She sat down in front of a large screen and began identifying plants. Which were safe to eat and which were poisonous. Her finger hovered over one, unsure. This was what she had been bad at, no matter how many times she had attempted.
"That's Katniss. It's to eat." She looked up as the victor named Katniss came up to her and press the green button for the plant, proving it safe to eat. "It's what I was named after." She said after a moment. Katniss looked at her briefly before she looked back down at the screen. "I'm good with plants, I could help you…" She trailed off, looking up to meet Azalea's gaze again. "In exchange for what?" The woman of 9 asked her. She crossed her arms and leaned on her hip on the machine. "There's not much I can teach that you don't already know Katniss." She watched as Katniss pressed approved on a fat root picture. "Peeta said you know a thing or two about hunting." Katniss replied and Azalea imagined it hadn't been her hunting skills that made Katniss make contact with her but rather Peeta's approval of her. "You could be a good partner…If you want to exchange, perhaps a session in hand-to-hand?" Katniss seemed to whisper the last part. Azalea could guess she was unwilling to share her weaknesses. But what she had really been listening to was Katniss basically making her an ally.
"Consider it a deal. Now let's talk about plants." She turned back to screen. Katniss jumped right into explanations of each plant. Azalea could tell she was as experienced in this area as she was with hunting. She tried to store as much of the information as she could but already things were slipping her mind. Azalea sighed and hoped when it came to choosing plants in the arena she would have Katniss to rely on.
When everyone broke for lunch she saw Katniss stick close to Peeta in what Azalea considered to be a natural protective behavior for her. Dael had chosen to stick with the Careers to which she argued against. It seemed her and Dael had different ideas on how they would survive and that was starting to drive them apart. It was almost always a given that tribute partners were allies in the arena but now Azalea was unsure if that applied now. She didn't know the man that had taken care of her since her name had first been reaped would suddenly turn on her but he looked like he was distancing himself from her and that hurt.
The woman looked up from her food as Finnick sat down beside her. His ever pleasant smile in place but those green were alert and full of worry. He brushed his shoulder against hers. He knew how all this was effecting her. She offered him a smile but it didn't feel real. "Are you alright?" he asked in a hushed tone. She poked her food with her fork. "No." She said honestly. Her hand was trembling and her chest felt heavy. Finnick forced the fork from her hand and grabbed it. Her death grip on him didn't go unnoticed. He pulled her up and Azalea followed him out of the lunch room. Her breathe coming out in short pants. Finnick whisked her along the empty hallway into the elevator, pushing the button for the rooftop. He held her tight in his arms as a sob broke out and she buried her face in the crook of his neck.
The smooth ride came to a halt as the doors opened out onto the roof. Azalea stumbled out and fell to the ground, listening to the sound of the wind and breathing in the fresh air. Finnick sat down beside her and pulled her back into his arms and held her. Despite the sounds escaping her, no tears fell. Breathing felt like an impossible task for her but Finnick insisted she could do it. After a while the panic seemed to ebb and collapsed against the victor of 4. She sat listening to wind and Finnick's heartbeat.
"We have to get back." She mumbled after a moment. Finnick hummed in agreement and kissed her temple. His arms were tight and supportive around her. She closed her eyes and steeled away her emotions. She stood up and pulled Finnick up along with her. They walked back to the elevator and went but to the training room. The lunch room was emptying, the victors paid them no mind and Azalea forced herself to pull away from Finnick. She looked at him shyly. "Thank you." She whispered. He gave her a soft smile in return, his green eyes shining beautifully. He nodded and went to the mats to wrestle with Johanna.
Azalea headed to a small room with glass walls. She was there stretching on the mats when Katniss came in. The girl on fire looked like she wanted to say something but kept her mouth shut. Azalea was glad for that. She didn't want to talk about that panic attack she had earlier. Katniss stood at the edge of the mat and Azalea came over to join. Pushing a button that tinted the glass, to which Katniss looked at her in alarm.
"Do you want everyone to see how bad you are?" Azalea joked. "Let's not give them that ammo." She said and walked back onto the mats with Katniss following behind. "Alright, show me what you got." Azalea wasn't an expert in hand-to-hand. Nothing like the Careers, her style was brutal and fast. Things she had picked up from the arena and had never left her. Katniss wasn't like that. She remember watching the 74th Hunger Games and seeing her struggle against the Careers. She was a long range fighter. Going in close to fight was something the victor of 12 was uncomfortable with. Azalea could see this as they fought. Katniss would edge back and Azalea would be forced to go in for the attack.
After more than an hour had passed and both of them had been left panting and sweating. Azalea signaled the end of the session and their last training day. Katniss wasn't a natural at fighting but Azalea could see the skill starting to form. She looked up from her hunched over form over to Katniss landing on the ground. She walked over to the girl and held a hand out for her. After a moment of silence Katniss grabbed her hand and Azalea pulled her up. "Good luck Katniss." She said as they exited the room. Peeta and Finnick were there to meet them. Finnick gave her his award winning smile and she felt a smile crept on.
They left the victors of 12 behind and boarded the elevator. At this point, this close to the games they didn't care about who saw them together anymore. So Finnick pressed the button for four and when the elevator came to a stop she got off on his floor. She pulled out her hair and followed Finnick to his room, watching his back as he disappeared into the bathroom, leaving the door open as he stripped. He had been strangely quiet all day. Even Mags had noticed. Azalea had thought perhaps it was because in less than two days they would be back in the arena. He looked back at her with a secretive smile and gestured for her to join him for a shower. She smiled at him, hiding the worry in her eyes. She stripped down and jumped in with him.
The shower was lacked almost all intimacy. Azalea washed off all the grime and waited for Finnick to finish up, relaxing under the one of the shower heads. She closed her eyes and let the water wash down her face. Suddenly her stream of water was cut off as Finnick slipped his arms around her and pulled her in close. She looked up at him.
"Are you alright? You have been quiet all day." He nodded to her and turned off the water. Azalea kept a close eye on him as they dried off and got ready for bed. Gone was his charming smiles and glittering eyes and replaced them was silence and a almost nervous look. Azalea stepped out of the bathroom, a towel in her hair. She stopped seeing Finnick hunched over in the bed. His back was to her. "Finnick?" She called out to her. She dropped the towel and crawled onto the bed behind him. "Finnick talk to me. You've been almost silent all day." Finnick turned around on the bed. He grabbed her left hand into his hands.
"We'll be in the Games soon...one of us might not come out of there." She felt him squeeze her hand tight, fidgeting with her fingers. "If I don't make it out, I want you to have something." He let go of her hand and Azalea felt something wrap around her ring finger. She looked down and saw a simple silver ring that looked like a braided rope. Instead of a diamond sat an infinity knot. She swallowed, remembering it was the first knot she had learned from him. She looked back at him with tears in her eyes. His green orbs were shining back with a pleading look in them. She grasped his face in between in her hands and pulled him in for a passionate kiss.
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