Arms - Christina Perri.
"Sometimes it's the smallest secrets that hold the most hope, the most fun, the most danger." - Suzanne Palmieri.
There are somethings that people just know.
The things that you can't remember how you learned about it or know it.
You just do.
Like when you read a book. Hope didn't know how, she just knew that, in the Harry Potter books, The Marauders map reads the order of their deaths backwards.*
And when you watch a movie. Hunter is able to tell you every little fact there is about The Avengers and more than half of the information isn't in the movie.
While Tessa knew everything there was to know about The OC and Finnick could answer pretty much every question you asked him about the Pirates of the Caribbean movies.
Then, there was the things you knew since you were a kid and you can't remember how you learned them. Unless your parents told you.
Like, the alphabet. The colours and shapes. The numbers.
And if you didn't know your numbers by now, then all you had to do was watch six tapes about the Hunger Games in about two days and you would know them for sure. Thanks to the countdown.
When the countdown hit zero, all the tributes jumped off their plates and ran towards the Cornucopia, just like all the other games.
As Johanna ran off hers, she didn't even try to go to the Cornucopia. She just ran towards the trees, tripping over her feet a few times, but she made it.
Haymitch gave a chuckle before taking a slip of his drink.
"What's so funny?" Tessa glared.
"I, and I know other mentors have too, told our tributes to not ran into the bloodbath," Haymitch explained. "And the only two that I can think of that have listened is Peeta, which really isn't a surprise, and Johanna."
"And that's funny because..."
"Because it's Johanna."
Finnick, Hope and Hunter rolled their eyes, even though Hope and Hunter were now interested in their parents games, while Tessa continued to glare at Haymitch.
Day One of the games passed by pretty fast. In the end 13 tributes were dead.
And the whole time, Johanna just ran. She ran away from everything.
"So that's my moms plan?" Tessa glared at the TV. "To just run from everything?"
"She has to have anything plan besides that Tess." Hunter told her. "This is your mom, Aunt Johanna, we are talking about. She has to have some big plan that she is working on."
Tessa didn't say anything, she just continued to stare at the TV screen.
They watched for "days" as tributes killed each other, and now and then, the screen would show Johanna being chased after by some made man. But she would always get away.
The whole time of watching the tape, Tessa never relaxed. She sat up straight with her hands rubbing up and down her legs.
The others watched her and the tape. Concerned. Not only was Johanna being a different person in the games, but Tessa was also being someone different.
Meanwhile, Haymitch just sat there, drinking his bottles. And at the rate he was going, he would soon be making another trip.
The games went by pretty quick, seen that most of the tributes in this game was under the age of 15. By now, it was day six in the Arena and there were only four people left. One of those four was Johanna.
The screen now showed Johanna walking through the trees, taking her time.
"Something is about to happen." Tessa said, not taking her eyes off the TV.
"How do you know?" Hope asked.
"I just know. Why else would the show my mother, someone who is weak, walking through the woods?"
And Tessa was right. At that moment, there was a loud bang, as if something hit the ground.
The screen showed Johanna looking to her right.
Johanna, and the teens and Haymitch, say trees, falling to the ground. They were just falling, as if someone was cutting them down. And the falling trees were making their way towards Johanna.
"Why do they do these things?" Hope asked as they watch Johanna running away from the trees.
"To make everything interesting," Haymitch glared at the TV. "They need to keep the people of the Capitol happy. Plus, they want to move to games along. Especially this close to the end.
"It's sick." Hope mumbled crossing her arms.
Johanna broke through the tree line and she was now at the edge of a field. And just as she broke through, so did the other three tributes.
"That was their plan then?" said Finnick. "To get all the tributes in one place so they had to kill each other?"
"Yup." Haymitch nodded, bringing the bottle to his lips and taking a drink.
Lucky for Johanna, the other three tributes didn't see her yet. She quickly hid behind one of the fallen trees at the end of the tree line.
"And of course, my mother hides." Tessa mumbled, crossing her arms.
The screen showed the three tributes fighting each other and, within minutes, one of them fell to the ground. Dead. Thanks to the 16-year-old boy with an axe.
Johanna started to slowly back up as the last two started to fight. But, she tripped over a fallen log and fell to the ground with a loud thud.
"You have to be kidding me?" Tessa yelled at the screen.
The two tributes heads snapped in Johanna's directions and they started to make their way towards her.
This is where Johanna changed. In her eyes, was fear one minute. Then, her eyes narrowed and the fear went away. Never to come back.
"What's happening?" Finnick asked.
"She's becoming Aunt Jo again." Hope smiled.
Johanna stepped into the field, glared at the two tributes. They were taken by surprise at first, but they quickly recovered and ran at her.
Johanna kicked the boy without the axe so hard in the stomach that he flew backwards.
She then started to fight the boy with the axe and he was so caught off guard that Johanna manged to grab his arm and twist it back.
Now, he knew what was happening and the two started to throw punches and hits.
Johanna manged to get behind the boy and quickly, she grabbed his head and twisted as hard as she could. Break his neck.
The boy fell to the ground, dead. The axe falling down next to him.
Now, with an axe, the other boy didn't stand a chance. They fought for only a few minutes until Johanna was able to drive the axe into his stomach, killing him.
The kids didn't know what to do or say. That was such a change in a little time that they didn't really know, or see, what was happening.
After a few minutes, Hope turned to Tessa.
"Tess? Are you okay?" She asked softly.
Tessa seemed to snap out of it now, and when she did, she quickly stood up and ran upstairs.
Hope looked at the three boys before standing up and following after Tessa.
Haymitch finished off his last bottle then looked at Hunter and Finnick, who didn't really know what to do.
"Well? Now what?"
Hunter cleared his throat and looked from Finnick to Haymitch.
"Maybe we should take a break..."
"How's Tessa?" Finnick asked as Hope walked over and sat down on the back deck next to him.
After they all decided to take a break, Hope went to talk to Tessa. At first it started off with Hope doing all the taking, then Tessa yelling, then crying onto Hope's shoulder.
Meanwhile, Haymitch went to tell their parents that they were being good and just watching movies. He said he would be back later to start the next tape.
Hunter was now in the kitchen, baking. Which is what he normally did to clear his head. It not only helped him, but others as well. And Finnick just had to get out of the house, so he decided to sit on the back step.
"As good as you'd expected." Hope shrugged. "She wanted to be alone for a bit. I think that tape took a lot out of her."
"I would say." Finnick agreed. "Seeing you mom go from a shy innocent girl to a murderer would do that to someone."
Hope sighed. "Finnick. This isn't something to joke about."
Hope was actually surprised with Finnick. He is here joking about everything when, not a few hours ago, they just watched his parents tapes and Finnick almost had a breakdown. You would think, that Finnick would know better than anyone to not joke about all this.
"Maybe some joking around is what everyone needs right now." Finnick turned to look at Hope.
"Really? Because I don't think joking is going to really help anything." Hope was getting angry now. What was wrong with Finnick? "Really Finnick. You out of all of us should know that joking about this isn't right.
"Maybe. But I am the only other one who actually watched their parents in the Games as of now." Finnick shot back. "I know what it feels like to see your parents on that screen."
"Really? Cause you're not acting like it." Hope snapped, then stood up to walk away.
"How would you know? You know nothing about what Tessa is going through."
Hope stopped and turned around slowly to see Finnick standing now, glaring at her.
"What?" Hope said, her voice dangerously low.
"We haven't watched Aunt Katniss' and Uncle Peeta's tape yet. You don't know what it feels like to see your parents in those games. To see them on that screen. To see them kill someone." Finnick told her, walking towards her slowly.
"Well. I'm sorry for trying to help my best friend. I'm sorry for helping you. Because I obviously have no idea what I'm talking about." Hope glaring, also walking forward.
"That's not what I'm saying Hope." Finnick sigh, closing his eyes.
The two were only a few feet apart now.
"Then what are you saying? Cause to me it sounds like I know nothing about what you and Tessa are going through just because I never watched my parents tape yet. Well, let me tell you something Finnick. I still had to watch my Aunt's and Uncle's on that screen. I still seen all their kills. And they may not be my parents, but I still love them just the same. I still know what it feels like to see someone you know, and love, act like a different person. I still-"
Hope's eyes went wide and she didn't really know what to do, or what was going on, as she felt Finnick's hands on her shoulders and his lips on hers.
To say Hope was shocked would be a big understatement.
Finnick Odair was kissing her.
It was in that moment, that both Hope and Finnick forgot about everything that was going on around them. They forgot about the fight, the Games, the reason they were where they were. They were in their own little world.
Finnick's hands made their way down to Hope's waist. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close as her arms wrapped around his neck.
In all honestly, Finnick just kissed her to get her to stop talking. Well, that was the reason at the time. He really did feel something for Hope, he just didn't know what. He was really expecting her to pull back and slap him. He wasn't expecting her to actually kiss him back.
After some time, they finally pulled apart, both gasping for breath.
"So," Finnick smirked after a few seconds. "Am I forgiven now?"
Hope glared at him and slapped him up the side of the head.
At least nothing is weird between us. Finnick though as he rubbed his head.
"I am sorry though. Seriously." Finnick told her. "I didn't mean that you were clue less. I just-"
"It's okay." said Hope. "I shouldn't have reacted the way I do. It's just..."
"What?" Finnick raised an eyebrow.
Hope sighed and walked over to sit down on one of the two deck chairs, Finnick followed.
"I'm scared." Hope told Finnick after a few minutes. "You and Tessa... honestly... your parents games didn't seem that bad. And, they were like a normal Games. My parents... Mom and dad both made it out. Something had to of happened or changed for the both to come out alive." Hope turned to look at Finnick. "And I have a feeling that it's not a good change."
"Hope. I wouldn't tell you this unless I knew for sure that it was true." Finnick reached over and grabbed her hand. "Everything is going to be okay. I promise."
Hope was silent until she looked at him and smirked. "Even when our parents find out?"
"Okay. Everything will be okay until our parents find out." Finnick smirked. "Then we are dead."
Hope laughed and she stood up.
"Come on. Let's head inside."
Finnick smiled and nodded as he stood up.
"But first," Finnick stopped Hope, who looked up at him. "Tell me. Am I good kisser?"
Hope gave him a playful glare and laughed as she lightly slapped him across the arm.
"Just so you know. I'm taking that as a yes."
"Come on you." Hope rolled her eyes and smiled. "I wanna see what Hunter's baking."
Finnick's eyes went wide. "Hunter's baking!? He better be making chocolate chip muffins!"
Hope just laughed as they both turned to walk back into the house when they saw Hunter and Tessa standing in the doorway.
"Well. If you two are trying to make me feel better," Tessa smirked. "It worked."
Hope you guys like it! Especially you Hope and Finnick fans. By the way, I think we need a couple name for them. Any ideas?
Also, I just found out that jedikhaleesi added this story to her Community "Whaddya Want?"! Thank you so much! :)
Now, as you all know, it's the end of the school year. And that means exams. My exams start on the 7th of June (I got out of school on the 20th). So, As much as you all may hate me, this will be my last update until the 17th of June. I would update next week, but next Monday is a big pre-exam in Bio for me. I am sorry, but school does come first. Especially this time of year.
In other news, thank you to luv2writefanficcandycane and thechamberofmahogany who are making trailers for this story! If anyone else would like to make a trailer, please PM me :)
I'll see you all on the 17th!
Love you to the moon and back, xox