𝙷𝙾𝚄𝚂𝙴 𝙾𝙵 𝚁𝙾𝚂𝙴𝚂 | 𝙵𝚒𝚗𝚗𝚒𝚌𝚔 𝙾𝚍𝚊𝚒𝚛

𝚂𝙴𝚅𝙴𝙽

Being forced to watch the Hunger Games was terrible. Having to watch it in full of a room of Capitol citizens was even worse.

Still, Valeria smiled and joined when everyone raised their glasses with each fallen tribute. The room was filled with gasps and squeals as the bloodbath commenced with almost half the tributes dying. Valeria was sure it was some sort of record. 

Several people stopped by to ask her about the girl from District 12, as if Valeria would know any more than they did. Her coy smile and vague answers kept them entertained enough, each one going off to gossip about Katniss Everdeen. Valeria hoped that at least would earn her a few more sponsors.

Following the bloodbath, people grew more disinterested as the killings had slowed down significantly, turning instead to their bottomless drinks and gossip. Valeria took that as an opportunity to leave, not up for playing up her fake persona for a few bits of information. She would try another day.

The streets were surprisingly empty as she made her way back to her apartments only a few blocks West. Valeria supposed a lot of people were already passed out drunk from partying all day, ready to repeat the process once the sun rose in the morning.

Valeria would have to join them, but she hardly cared at that point. The only thing she cared about was going home and crawling under the comfort of her blankets, knowing she would cry long and hard tonight as she thought about her parents.

Snap!

Valeria stumbled as her heel snapped beneath her, barely catching her balance as she glared down at her choice of shoes for the night. She had thought they would be a reliable choice, clearly not though as she reached down to check beneath the soles of her shoe. 

A frustrated groan escaped her lips as she unclasped the heel, tears pooling in the corner of her eyes at the small inconvenience. She did the same to the other heel, holding them both in her hands before tossing them angrily as far as she could throw them. When she was finished, Valeria was left bare-footed in the middle of the city, left in nothing but an uncomfortable corset dress as the night air nipped at her skin.

Valeria hardly cared as she continued walking, her steps sluggish and slow by the time she made it back. Her luck only seemed to worsen as she approached the elevator that held an out of order sign on the doors. Valeria leaned against the wall as her eyes trailed to the staircase next to the elevators.

Valeria closed her eyes and released a deep breath, urging herself not to cry at least until she made it to her apartment. She pushed herself away from the wall, pushing open the staircase doors as her eyes traveled upwards to the dozens of flights she would have to take to reach her apartment.

One. 

Two.

Three.

Valeria took to counting the steps to keep her distracted as she made her way upstairs. Any way to keep her from falling apart. Her mother had always taught her the importance of being strong, that it was always ten times harder to pull oneself together than it did to fall apart.

Two hundred forty-nine.

Two hundred fifty.

Valeria barely noticed when she made it to her floor, almost dazed as she pulled out her keys and fumbled with the lock. She was grateful for the familiar layout of her apartment as she slammed the door shut, wondering as she entered if she should call her grandfather before she went to bed. She knew he would appreciate the call even if she didn't.

Her thoughts were cut off as she entered the main space, stopping in her tracks at the unfamiliar figure in her living room. Finnick Odair certainly was the last person she had expected to see that night, much less standing in the middle of her apartment with an unbuttoned shirt and a white rose in his hand.