The Angel (Finnick Odair x OC x Johanna Mason)

12

A/N: Thank you so much for 1K reads!!

As I stand off to the side of the crowded room, I treat myself to some of the snack and refreshments as the symphony of chatter and laughter drowns out all other noises.

Since we're not due to leave for the next district in at least another day, the victors of district 2 and 4 have gathered here for a sort of party or get-together, as well as a few from the other districts who are also on the train to the Capitol. They all seem pretty at ease with each other, even though some are obviously on better terms with one over the other.

I smile seeing Jason interact with his victor friends. Since I was always stuck at district 2 before I won my games, I never had the opportunity to see Jason's life outside of our home district or to meet his friends.

He has introduced me to his closest ones, most of them being from district 4, since the career districts are more often than not in an alliance during the games. I vaguely remember Jason allying with a girl from district 4 during his 61st games before she was killed.

His friends are mostly welcoming, but I excused myself, knowing that Jason would want some time to catch up with them, hence why I'm currently alone at the refreshments table.

Not for long, however.

"Not one for socialising?" Finnick Odair asks as he comes to stand next to me. Seeing my shocked expression, his smirk only grows wider.

"Not particularly, no," I reply as I look away back to the crowd. "Don't really know anyone here apart from my brother."

"Then in that case, just get to know someone?"

"Are you offering?" I return, then immediately turn away again to conceal my slight blush as I realise how flirty that sounds.

To my relief, Finnick only laughs and says, "I'm not really one for socialising either, to be honest."

I raise my eyebrows at that, since his words contradict the rumours I've heard. "That's not what I heard. If you're not one for socialising, why do you spend so much of your time in the company of the Capitol?"

Finnick's eyes darken but he puts on a smile again, the change in his demeanour so quick that I almost think I've imagined it.

"What better way to spend my time?" Finnick jests in a way that makes me think it's not exactly the truth.

Suddenly, my eyes widen when the truth comes to mind. My brother has mentioned that he's not the only victor Snow sells to the Capitol, and that there are many more as well. It just didn't occur to me until now that Finnick might be one of them.

If Finnick notices the look of understanding in my eye, he doesn't show it. Instead he shrugs and adds, "Besides, their company pays well."

"I didn't know that you love their money that much," I comment to avoid voicing out my revelation.

"They don't pay me in money," Finnick replies, then turns to look at me with a glint in his eye. "They pay me in secrets."

Perplexed by his answer, I open my mouth to ask him what he meant by that, but before I can, one of the victors from another district calls him over to catch up.

"Guess that's my cue," he says, "I'll see you around, Harmony."

As he leaves me at the refreshments table to head over to the other victors, I can't help but hope that we will indeed see each other again.

***

"Harmony? Are you listening?" Enobaria asks and I startle at the sound, too immersed in my own thoughts.

"Sorry, just thinking," I tell her.

The other district 2 victors are all gathered here in the sitting area in our compartment, having discussions that I haven't been paying attention to.

"Nervous about the Capitol and the party?" she asks, as if she knows what's on my mind.

"A little," I admit, but that's an understatement. It's my first time returning to the Capitol since I won my games. There's too many bad memories there that I wish I could just forget and erase from my brain.

"It'll be alright, Harmony," Jason reassures me as he turns to us. "The banquet will be over before you know it, and it's not that big of a deal anyways. You don't even need to do much once you're there."

"Exactly," Enobaria agrees. "You just meet a bunch of people and pretend that you like them and don't find them annoying."

I snort in laughter at that.

Brutus, overhearing our conversation, adds, "Really, they say that it's in honour of your victory, but actually they would just use any excuse to host a party and show off and throw their money around."

I laugh again, the sound foreign to my ears from the lack of it over the past months. Jason smiles at me, glad that I'm feeling better about this.

Approximately an hour later, the train has entered the outer boundaries of the city, bringing us ever closer to our destination as the time of our arrival nears.

With my brother and the other victors' reassuring words in my mind, I calm myself enough to not tremble when I step outside the compartment and am greeted by the sight of the Capitol. This sight would've once filled me with joy, but now I feel only dread when we venture further into the centre and are welcomed by escorts and peacekeepers.

I take another deep breath, trying to calm my nerves as much as possible as I'm taken to my stylist to try on the dress I will wear for the party later in the evening.

I just have to get through this party. Not too hard, right?

"Miss Skylar?" one of the escorts calls to me just as I am about to greet my stylist Leto. My brother's eyes furrow in alarm next to me when he glimpses the white letter held in the escort's hand.

"This epistle came for you from President Snow," the escort explains, handing me the letter before he runs off to attend to other duties.

Tentatively, I hold the letter in my shaking hands, afraid of what it might contain. Apparently, Jason can guess as well as I do because a look of horror passes over his features, confirming my fears.

I haven't even arrived at the Capitol for more than an hour, and it seems that Snow is informing me of the details of our arrangement and has already picked out my first client.