o1 ♐ video

[effective]

[There’s a girl staring down at the netbook in blank incomprehension. Observant people might notice the burn scars on her hands, crawling up her neck. Slowly, her gaze drags upwards to see the light that indicates the camera’s on, and recognition flickers in her eyes. She sets the netbook down and sits on a bed nearby, curling her feet under her. One hand is clenched around a bow, and the quiver is on her back already] You can see me, can’t you. [It’s not a question, and she doesn’t even appear to be addressing the camera.] Of course you can. They’re always watching.

It was supposed to be over. All of this. The fighting, the killing. It was supposed to be over. And don’t tell me there might not be killing. You don’t hand a victor a weapon and expect them not to use it.

[She stands, swiftly, drawing an arrow from the quiver and setting it on the string in one smooth movement. It’s aimed at the netbook. The expression on the girl’s face is almost too intense. A smile touches her lips, but there’s nothing positive in the expression] If you want me to fight for you, I’m going to need you to bring me Peeta.

[Her arms jerk up, aiming elsewhere, and the arrow is released. There’s a crash that indicates she hit something, and judging by the look of hard satisfaction in her eyes, it’s what she wanted to hit.] I could use Haymitch, too.

Comments

[effective]

[She sits down on the bed again, like she's abruptly run out of energy] I saw it. I saw you! I watched you die, Finnick, you have no right to come back like this, not now! No right! [There's an edge of hysteria in her voice because what the fuck] It was supposed to be over.

[insecrets]

[Oh. Right. Johanna did tell him that part, that he was with Katniss and them. The sewers. He's going to die in the sewers. His fingers twitch.] I can't come back from what hasn't happened to me yet. [His voice is flat. Soft. Pathetic, really.] It'll never be over. Haven't you learned? We don't get to be let go.

[effective]

[She shakes her head, and he can probably hear a whispered 'no' from her. She presses the palms of her hands to her eyes, not looking at him. Or anything else] Why would they do this. What's the point? There's nothing else they can use me for. I killed Coin. The girl on fire's all burned up, there's no reason for them to make you now.

[insecrets]

[He takes a deep breath, sighs dramatically, lets that smile of his flicker back onto his handsome face. Not that she can see it at the moment, with her eyes covered.] It's not the Capitol. I don't think they care who you are, little mockingjay, but it's still a game.

[A pause, and his words are harsher, more bitter. He's reminded of the people he's killed.] It's still a game.

[effective]

[She hears that tone and something in her gut twists. She lifts her face, and the hysteria withdraws from her tone a little] Don't be a jerk. [Actually she sounds almost normal :'D]


There's no need for the Mockingjay anymore. I won't kill for them. I won't kill for anyone. I don't care who they are.

[insecrets]

[There you go. There's the Katniss he knows and loves.] I'm being helpful.

Then don't.

[effective]

[She shakes her head again] You're a mutt. You have to be.

Or I'm dreaming.

[insecrets]

Why does everyone keep calling me a mutt? [8c]

[effective]

[She doesn't have any rope, so she twists her fingers instead as she looks at him] Because you died.

[insecrets]

Not yet. [It's almost a hiss, almost an anguished cry. He doesn't want people to know, doesn't even want to be reminded of what's waiting for him. The rope is in his hands without conscious decision, twisting into knots.]

[effective]

For me. [She has no idea what's real right now, but there's a huge part of her that wants to believe he is]

[insecrets]

[He's not even really here anymore. He's just a waste of space, head bowed, shoulder shaking. Too much, too much. Mutt, dead, not here. Not real. He's dead, and he keeps being reminded of it.]

[effective]

[Wh - oh, come on. More than anything else, even talking to Johanna, the crying starts to convince Katniss that he might actually be real] Finnick. [stoppit xc]

Where are you?

[insecrets]

[He is very manly, okay. Men show their emotions. Just because you can't cry, Katniss...]

Four-oh-two.

[effective]

I'm armed. I won't shoot unless you make me. [Actually she doesn't know if she could physically stand to shoot another person, even non-fatally, but she doesn't need to mention that to him.] I'll be there soon.

[insecrets]

What would you know? [He laughs, caught between humor and horror.] So am I. [He won't hesitate to defend himself, but he knows he'll never actually hurt Katniss.]

Not going anywhere.

⇁ action

[effective]

[The netbook shuts. She walks with an arrow in one hand and her bow in the other, ready to set it to the string if necessary. It takes her a while to actually get to 204, because she just picks a direction at random and wanders off that way, but she gets there eventually.

She uses her feet to knock. And by knock I mean she kicks the door once or twice and then steps back to the other side of the hall so she has enough room to shoot if she needs it] Open.

[insecrets]

[So rude, Katniss. Finnick sits on his bed and stares out of the bedroom door towards the apartment door. He told her where he was, but he still doesn't get up. Even when she kicks. He waits and struggles and doesn't understand what's happening to him at all. It's been too much, he supposes. Everything.

Minutes pass before he finds the strength to stand, fingers wrapping around his trident as he walks to the door.

Opens it.

Stands back.] Even Johanna has more manners than you.

[effective]

[She sees the trident and the arrow goes on the string, aimed at his heart. It takes her a few seconds to actually look up, see his face; she swallows when she manages it, hard. Her hand shakes slightly, but she holds on tight to both bow and arrow]

I don't know what to do.

[insecrets]

[He doesn't even flinch, just smiles at her. There's not much he's got to lose if she does shoot him. He'll be dead either way. It's a fixation he can't let go of for some reason. He knew... He knew there was the possibility he wouldn't come back from that mission, and he had accepted it.

But Finnick has no idea how to deal with knowing his death will happen ahead of time. How to square it away.]

Ask please and use your hand to knock. [He jerks his head.] Come on in.

[effective]

[Her eyes drag from the trident, noting his lack of grip on it before returning to his face. Don't mind her, she's just sort of drinking in the sight of him. Her hand shakes a little more, and she ultimately decides to replace the arrow in her quiver] I'm not saying please.

[She steps closer] Put the trident down. [She can't hug you if you're holding it gd]

[insecrets]

[Finnick, it's a serious wonder how you even won the Hunger Games, but at Katniss's command, the trident clatters to the floor with little worry. It's a simple weapon at the moment, anyhow.

Once it's gone, he watches her carefully. His fingers twitch. What Finnick wants is to reach out and hug her first, but he's not going to make the move.]

[effective]

[The trident hits the ground and for a moment everything is still. And then a low, choked cry escapes Katniss, a s ound that's harsh and ugly with emotion as she closes the gap between them. Her bow hits the ground next to his trident as she all but throws her arms around him, burying her face in his shoulder.

There are no words right now. She's sobbing and doesn't care, all but clinging to him.]

[insecrets]

[He stumbles back a couple of steps, arms immediately closing around Katniss and holding her tightly against him. She clearly needs this more than him. She saw it. He's practically clinging back, doesn't care that she's crying or that he is again, or that they're pretty damn broken.

He dies. She sees it.]

[district7]

[And its now that Johanna shows up to ruin the moment, one arm leaning against the doorway as she surveys the two with a raised brow. Her bruised face isn't even a concern, she's too busy looking smugly on.]

If you two need some time to get it out of your system, I can leave.