The Princess and The Owl // Johanna Mason x OC

Chapter 26 - Baby Sitter

"May the 73rd annual Hunger Games begin!" Claudius announces heartily, as reverb echoes back from the arena speakers with jarring sharpness.

In the valley of a vast canyon, the rugged stone of the Cornucopia merges seamlessly with its surrounding. The camera angles snap rapidly around all of the tributes. Terrified. Vacant. Determined. Some are all at once.

"We're going out for some fun tonight, if you want to join us?" a voice offers from the lounge doorway. Athena stays fixated in her own thoughts, letting them block out the words. It's nearly another minute before they speak again, sitting on the other side of the sofa, "Hey... 'Thena?"

Finnick's hand reaches out, moving the unmoving glass held at her lips down a little. She flicks her eyes in his direction, swallowing thickly as she places the glass on a nearby table.

"What's wrong?" he asks patiently, his gaze softened.

"Nothing, I'm just..." she swallows thickly, knowing how she can't lie to him. She pauses, weighing her words, "...Have I done something wrong?"

His eyebrows furrow tightly in confusion, "What do you mean?"

"Forget it," she rushes out, waving off his inquisitive gaze with a forced laugh, "I'm just being paranoid."

"Somethings been on your mind all week, Two," he comments calmly, "Maybe I can help."

'Johanna's acting funny, right?' is what she wanted to say, but the thought of him relaying that message to the younger woman caught the words in her throat, "It's just weird not mentoring."

"Okay..." he looks thoroughly unconvinced, but quickly plasters on a cocky smile, "We're going for drinks at 9. I'll see you then-"

"-I never agreed-"

"-Don't be late!" he chirps as he almost skips out of the room. Grumbling to herself in mild annoyance, she leans back into the sofa for more vacant viewing.

Oh wait, it's the bloodbath!

7 die: one from 5, the two from 9, one from 10, one from 11, and both from 12. The latter will ensure Haymitch's rather intoxicated appearance this evening. The careers secure the Cornucopia, as the others scurry away into the valley's nooks and ravines.

8:55pm

Athena looks like a Capitol fashion designer. With an iridescent, flared two piece of trousers and a shirt-less suit jacket - which both carry an indiscernible sheen of shifting colours with every movement - they are both pulled together by the bejewelled accessories across every inch of her exposed skin (especially her chest area and hands).

Athena looks in the mirror as she leaves: despite looking like she had been born and bred in the sparkling penthouses of the Capitol, she feels distinct. Perfect for one of the most prestigious clubs in city.

"Whew, aren't you a sight for sore eyes," Finnick grins as he greets her, giving her a one armed hug. Extending her a polite hand, he helps her into the taxi-limo. Luxurious as ever, she looks around and writes a mental list of which district made each element.

"Who else is joining us?" Athena asks conversationally, watching how the neon blurs merge seamlessly into one another outside.

"Well, Haymitch and his friends have added our club to their pub crawl, which started shortly after the strike of noon," he jokes lightheartedly, "So they might stumble in at closing."