.Stone And Lumber (Johanna Mason X F.OC).

-Victors-

"Why do you always wear those Athy?" Little Cato poked the metal claws of the padded gloves.

"To be sure you are safe Munchkin." She ruffled his hair, but it was not entirely true, she had the inability to feel like she was safe herself, waking up in the middle of the night from nightmares, bathed in the blood and cold of the arctic arena, she found that having a weapons on her in the form of these gloves helped, either these or her much more decorative claws, both helped, but he didn't need to know that.

"I don't need you to protect me!" He complained like a child like him would. "I am a big boy!"

"You are the biggest boy but I am your big sister." It almost felt like a dream, like it was not real, like pushing him on a swing after a day in school, it felt surreal. "It is my job to protect you from harm and anyone, I'll pluck their eyes out." She mimicked poking with two of her fingers.

"I'll be the best in the academy and I'll be the one to protect you."

"Only if you grow taller then me." She laughed at how determined he was, a constant fear of hers was he'd actually be the best.

In 2 they would volunteer but after Brutus's, her mentor's, literal bloodbath to declare he'd volunteer, it was decided that the top student in male and female categories would automatically be chosen, that's how Athena was chosen at 15 only, because with her skill she surpassed that year's 18 year olds too... Which she bitterly regrets now.

"Are you okay Athy?"

"Why do you ask Munchkin?"

"You seem sad."

"It's nothing." She smiled, pushing the swing harder and making him laugh, getting distracted.

Her mentor had favored her district partner and basically abandoned her, he wouldn't acknowledge that now that she was the winner.

She really didn't want her brother to be good but he was following in her footsteps, already knowing the basics of sword fighting at 8.

She didn't want her brother in the hands of the Capitol and she'll do anything to keep him from them.

Anything.

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She watched the smoke rise from the cigarette against the sunset backdrop over the Capitol. 

She doesn't even remember when she picked up the habit, was it before the games? After? Everything mushed together now, like a life before winning never existed and only this hell was real.

"What was it this time?" Finnick's annoying yet charming voice said, breaking her from the silence she was surrounded by.

She swung at him limply and he effortlessly avoided her dainty little claws as the chains clinked softly.

The Capitol would constantly drag the victors too parties, never ending parties.

"It was nothing Fish-brains, just something about someone poisoning someone." She said without much information given through her words, here even walls had ears.

"Oooh, that's quite interesting." He said before grabbing her wrist. "Come on, I got someone you need to meet."

She put out the smoke on the railing and let him drag her away, back into the loud buzz of the crowd.

She hated how'd they touch them as they passed and all she could do was smile at them.

But torment soon arrived at its end as he pulled her too a quieter corner.

It was a little circular couch with several people.

"I present to you my mentor, Mags, Cecelia from district 8 and Wiress from 3."

"Hello." She awkwardly said. "Athena Hadley, district 2." She offered a hand to shake but dropped it, none would dare with her claws and she guessed right, none of them had moved, they even looked nervous because she was a 2... She didn't blame them, eleven lives she took with her own hands.

"Come on girls, be nice." Finnick sat with them, speaking as if he was not actually much younger then they were, pulling Athena next too him. "Kitten isn't bad for a 2."

"I'll claw your eyeballs out Fish-brains." She threatened with her claws held to his face as he just grinned, not scared at all.

"Welcome." The older woman softly spoke. (in the books it is hinted she could talk but had a stroke before the 75th came.) "And I am sorry dear." She grabbed her hand in her wrinkly one, careful with the sharp ends but not scared to hold it.

"For what?"

"My boy Finnick, neither of you deserve this, you are both so young."

Athena swallowed, not liking more people knowing about what she did in her spare time, little to no one actually knew what a sweetheart was but this Mags lady seemed to do... It was inevitable, every victor would know what life as one of them meant, that's why they were here, paraded around as trophies, those thinking a bit more would realize sweethearts are not just the best trophies but their bodies too.

Slowly but surely the other women warmed up to Athena too and for once, she had a great time at the Capitol.

For once it felt like before the games, relaxed and without a stress but it wouldn't last.

"Hadley, you are asked for."

With a half convincing smile, she waved goodbye too the group and went away, all of them watching her with bitterness all victors felt when seeing this, knowing the Capitol was up too something again but only Finnick and Mags knew the whole truth of it.

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But the nights were horrible, even at home.

Left, right, left, right.

Throwing punched into the tough leather punching bag that hung in the victor's home, trying to work her anger out through violence.

She didn't stop even as her knuckles screamed for mercy, even as her blood stained the leather of the bag.

She wanted to cry but wouldn't, not wanting to be weak, she needed to be strong, for Cato, he needed her to be strong for him, she'll be strong for him.

Left.

She kept her fist against the bag, blood pooling in drops from the bruised and busted knuckles, staining her fist and the bag.

Seems blood followed Athena no matter where she went and it made her sick.

She regretted winning the games as she now knew, there were no victors.

Just survivors.