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

-Epilogue II-

7 was the lumber district, filled with towering trees of green and the scent of sap, sawdust filling the lungs with each breath.

And yet Johanna was annoyed to not see blocked of stone being carved out of rock faces or children working away with blade fighting in an academy.

Sure 7 was home, she was home in her district of birth and life and it was great to not worry anymore about mentoring and watching tributes die over and over.

But it was lonely and it didn't feel like home.

Well it did feel like home, but something was missing.

7's victor village was empty, no one dared to move in yet, the hurt too recent, leaving Johanna alone in the big place.

Not that she minded, alone and the loneliness she felt were two different things.

She looked up towards the huge towering mountains she could see from here, from her spot on her porch, wondering why home was so far away.

Hell, she knew why but why? Why did she stay away and why did Johanna too?

It almost felt like a compulsion to stay in their district, the separation walls still standing, it felt like she still couldn't leave this home of her, stuck here while she was free.

It also felt like she needed to stay here, as 7's sole remaining victor she felt compelled to be here and yet it also felt like the people who had previously ignored her because of the peacekeeper and Capitol danger were now trying to forget her, bury her in the past along with the games and the reapings. It was like she overstayed her welcome in her own district.

It amazes her how they had all seemingly unanimously decided to erase the victor from their life, so why was she still waiting here and not running for the mountains?

Because Athena had left without even sparing her a glance when boarding the train.

It had hurt so bad that it took Heymitch shaking her from it to get her moving and board it.

She had spent the whole time thinking about what and why but never got an answer and it had been bothering her since that day.

And so despite feeling so lonely and missing her every waking moment, she stayed put and didn't bother her, seems that even 2 was trying to forget 7.

Johanna hated crying but that line of thought brought them up and down her face without a care in her to stop them from falling.

Why was all this happening? It was supposed to be the end of heartache and hardships, the victors were free, free of their cages and only happiness should await right? So where was hers?

Hers was in 2 doing who knows what and far away from Johanna, leaving her here alone, lonely.

She sighed, wiping the annoying tears away, glaring ahead, this house hadn't felt like a home ever since her family had died, it just was a furnished house she lived in.... The first time a house had felt like home was way back when she had just won and Athena had invited her to stay there with Blight.

That home with Cato and Athena had felt like a true home despite her being a victor, there was life in the home, movement, a spark of something that every other seemed to have.

It seems to her that she had always felt something for the older victor now that she thinks about it, she doesn't think it is love at fight sight but there was something there, she did always find Athena good luckily and charming even if she could annoy her so much at those times.

"Hey there."

Johanna choked on air and she jumped to her feet, but that voice!?

Athena laughed at her shock, finally working up the courage to move her damned ass to come over here, holding a little hand sized keyboard and typing on it quickly.

"Hello little wolf." Her voice said but out of the mouth of the jabberjay perched on her shoulder as she waved.

It felt so weird to know Snow had worked out a jabberjay with her voice when she couldn't speak herself, tho it was quite monotone sounding because of the limited control the keyboard offered, she could just make it say what she wanted.... It honestly felt wrong to use it but she would here and there but it still feels better to use signs or writing, the fact that this was a Capitol mutt also added to things. Maybe she'll get used to it, maybe not, only the future will tell.

Despite any previous thoughts that had swirled around, Johanna was over by Athena in two heartbeats and had her arms thrown tightly around her.

Athena laughed softly, hugging back, rubbing her back.

"I missed you so much Thea." She squeezed on her arms. "Damn you you made me worry!"

Athena backed off just enough to grab Johanna's face with one hand and see what letters she pressed on.

"I'm sorry." The jabberjay said, feeling just as off for Johanna as it did too Athena to hear her voice again while the owner off it couldn't speak it.

"You idiot." Johanna smiled. "Why do I even love you?"

"I don't know." The monotone voice said but Johanna could almost hear the laugh in it since Athena's face was painted with a large smile too.

"I love you Thea." She repeated.

"I love you too little wolf." The jabberjay said what both thought would never be heard, at the moment it was not important that it was a mutt that said it, all that was was that it sounded just like Athena.