The Life of A Victor || Finnick Odair

CHAPTER 27

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"Do you think she'll regret it? Will she regret having won?" The tone of Finnick's question was almost desperate. Librae knew the boy needed the truth. White lies wouldn't relieve him.

"She will. Like we all do. But when she sees the faces of the ones she has fought for. The ones she loves, she'll realise it was worth it. It's a weird feeling, like a —'Ah, so that's why I did it.'— kind of thing." She replied, looking straight into the boy's eyes.

"Yeah, I know that feeling," he replied with a weak smile. Finnick was grateful for the honesty, although the confirmation of his thoughts hurt him.

"I knew the games would change her. Since months ago, when she started to have nightmares about the Arena, she became more gloomy. But I never expected to see her emotionally numb." He commented as he glanced back at Dove. She had started to toss and turn around. She wasn't mumbling yet, but he knew it was a matter of time.

"You know, in Melo's games, the interviewers asked Dove about her relationship with you. When she told us, I said I wouldn't approve, even if it was the best guy in all Panem." Librae joked, "I take that back now. If it's you, I know you'll make each other happy." It quickly changed to a caring tone. She was entrusting her daughter to him.

"We're not like that. Besides, I think you should worry about your love life first. When are you going to reply to any of Ron's obvious advances? Give the man a chance," Finnick had heard from both Melo and Dove how Ron tried to show his love for their mother since he met her, to no avail.

Ron Stafford, the winner of the forty-seventh Hunger Games. Although in Four there were many people with black skin, none was like Ron's. His skin was as dark as the night, which only helped to contrast his grey eyes even more. He was a man whose cold behaviour had charmed half Capitol. And yet there he was, desperately in love with Librae Ogilvy.

"Ron is not like that. We're just great friends," Librae replied with a smile. Finnick looked at her in disbelief. She said that even though she was blushing.

"Yeah. He's not like that, just like Dove and I can't stand each other," Librae snorted at his mocking remark. She was trying hard not to laugh out loud. Everyone was still asleep, and she didn't want to wake them up.

"OK. I'll pay more attention from now on. Happy?" Finnick nodded, still surprised at her reaction. There hadn't been many occasions in which he had seen her smiling. Laughing or snorting was inconceivable. "Alright. Now, off to sleep. Chop chop," she added with a smile. He recognized those words. Delia always said that when she wanted to send someone to bed.

The next morning, Delia rushed into the room with a big smile plastered on her face. "It's a big day! It's a great day! Oh, and here I was wondering where everyone had gone. Come on, sleepyheads. Ohan will be here in no time to get Dove ready," the escort announced with her usual cheeriness.

The firsts to wake up were Mags and Librae, who led Delia outside. Their kids could use five more minutes of sleep, since there was no need to wake them up so soon. The sunlight landed on Dove's eyes as her shield, her mother, left the bed. She opened her eyes slowly and looked around.

Last night, it felt as if a cloud had blocked her mind, not letting any information or emotion go through. But now, it was clearer. Although, not much more, but it was a step. Her emotions would take longer to stabilise. With some luck, they would be mostly back before her interview with Caesar, or she would have to fake them.

Only Melo, Finnick, and her were left in the room. The two boys slept peacefully, which was a first for Melo since his own games. Dove stared at them for a couple of minutes. She had always thought both boys resembled each other, at least, until now.