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

-Garden-

(fun fact: as I said in a chapter near the start, 75th game, Athena will be in the grasp of the Capitol, there is something I want to do to her that would be a gut punch for us basically, but I don't know if I should go through with it. Like how I accidentally, in my other book, had Paige say the girl from 4 was forgettable and in the end it was her that killed Marcus, I have thing in earlier chapter that could hint at what I planned.... But do I have the strength to do it? I think I will have the strength but god does it hurt lol..... So do we wanna suffer?

future me: oh my sweet summer child past self, you have no idea of the shit storm you are about to write.)

"Do you know what the Capitol calls you?" Athena's words pulled Johanna out of her own mind.

She had let it wander while following Athena through the deadly silent halls towards the not yet known end destination.

"What?"

"Well the victors usually get a name after their win, Finnick is simple: The younger victor ever, while mine is more complex and focuses more on my actions in my games: The Reaper, since I kill 11 of the other 23." She sighed. "So do you have an idea what yours is?"

"I never heard of any names for me."

"Well all have one, but like Annie, Snow wants the people to forget you and her, you don't fit his perfect victor image, the victor that hides the disgusting truth of the games."

"A victor like you..."

"Yeah... A victor like me." Athena quietly sighed, Johanna just seeing her shoulders sag and fall. "They call you the mad wolf."

"Mad wolf?!"

Athena laughed at the outburst of indignation.

"You can't think I am the only one to think of wolf in sheep skin but since you stepped out of line, don't follow the norm of a victor and only listen to your head you are the mad wolf."

"I should just put an axe through their skulls!"

"I'd love to see you do so."

Finally, arriving at a door, Athena pushed it open and waving Johanna passed her. "Ladies first."

"You are a lady too."

"I am older, now shoo." She said.

"Usually the older one has th--" "Move it Johanna."

The younger victor held her hands up in surrender as she stepped out the door.

She didn't expect to see a garden that's for sure.

It was surrounded by the buildings so it felt like a closed room with vegetation in it.

It had a little circular fountain in the middle with with crawling pants creating archways around the benched set up near it.

And all the plants, so many colors and fragrances, she even spotted a butterfly, it seemed so out of place here in the Capitol.

Since the sun had set, little garden lamps bathed the area in a soft light.

"Thought that it would be empty at this time. No one would miss the closing night of the hunger games for anything." Athena spoke up, tarnishing the serene atmosphere with the smoke of the cigarette she lit.

"How do you know this existed and why bring me here?" Johanna asked, gently but still flicking away a purple flower that hung in her way as she turned back too the older victor who shrugged.

"I wanted to plant you in the dirt like a tree should be." She said with sarcasm, taking a breath of the smoke with a shrug. "For how I knew you can actually thank Finnick, he told me and why I brought you here? I wouldn't know, I guess I just thought you'd like a place away from the crowd since I was already going to come here anyway."

"Well thanks for thinking about me."

"Don't you worry little wolf, you are quite hard to forget." Athena's grin was just so damned captivating, yet again, nothing could beat her eyes for Johanna but anything about 2 was captivating nowadays.

"I don't know if that's a good thing." She said, watching the green and black colored other victor walk passed her, having a feeling she could pull of any outfit and color if she wanted.

Watching her step up too the fountain before once again following her, stepping near too her.

"Depends, with Snow? Not really." Athena grinned at her. "With me? I'd be honored."

Johanna shoved her making the other chuckle.

"For fuck's sake Thea."

"Eh? Thea? I like it." Is all she said before switching the theme up once again. "It is the 72th victor that will be born tonight but I've already been wondering, what do you think, what will come of the 75th?"

"The quarter quell?"

"Yeah."

"Why do you already think of that?" Athena shrugged at the question.

"Just curious." While in reality it was more about trying to distract herself since it would soon be her brother's turn to be reaped because of her fuck up with helping Johanna win by once showing her something.

She did think once of spilling the beans but she can't, not for Cato's sake, his safety counts more then anything.

"Well it might be something big, from what I know the first was tributes that were voted on, the second that drunken Heymitch won was double the tribute, these last years the Capitol doesn't seem happy with their victors so..... Three times the amount of tributes?"

"Not bad, I'd vote for the idea of messing with the rules, like maybe using the Capitol's streets as an arena."

"Knowing them, it will be a shit show."

"Yeah.... At least you have nothing to fear."

"Cato still has those two years you mentioned."

"Mhm." Athena nodded, watching the rippling water, at least other kids had the chance of not being chosen, Cato would participate, she needed to behave still because if she doesn't, Snow might not wait graciously until he turns 18 and will send him right next year. "Huh... How odd."

"What?"

"I competed when I was 15 and Cato was 8, this year he is 16 and I still feel like I exited the cold of my arena yesterday, seems I was correct, you never forget."

"You are being extremely weird today Thea."

She chuckled and turned to Johanna with another shrug, not having much of an explanation as to why she was but she knew she was.

And this calm moment needed to be broken, seeing that man open the door.

"Ha--" "I know, I am needed somewhere, coming." She told him, lifting her hand to shut him up, still smiling at Johanna. "Enjoy the garden a bit more, I'll see you before the train leaves for the districts tomorrow."

"Ah... Alright."

"Awe don't miss me." And this time it was a conscious choice unlike how last time it was more of a reflex to reassure, pressing a kiss on her forehead. "See you later." She smiled, patting her cheek before she left.

Johanna watched her go with red too her face, hating how she needed to go, it almost felt colder without the victor here with her.

And yet she was not able to answer in any way possible.