PAWNS | FINNICK ODAIR

A GAME SUGGESTS

"Mortifying."

That was the one word Cal could say when he saw Lara covered in that red paint. As soon as she stepped into the apartment, he was only a makeup mistake away from having a heart attack.

He'd immediately shoved her into the bathroom and turned on the shower. He commanded her to scrub off all the paint quickly so that they could prepare for their interviews.

Lara didn't refute. She was still numb and she mindlessly wandered around, following the direction Cal pushed her in.

Once the bathroom door shut behind her, she slowly stripped off her clothes and got in the shower. Normally that was a place she could relax and let her worries wash away.

But now it felt different.

It felt like the steam was suffocating her. The shower walls were a trap. The water attempted to drown her. Everything just seemed like too much.

She quickly stumbled out, leaving the water running. She grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her before she sat down on the floor. Still soaking wet, she began to hyperventilate.

She tugged at her hair and rocked back and forth. No amount of gritting her teeth could stop the years from welling in her eyes.

That's how Finnick found her.

Despite Cal reassuring him that Lara was simply showering, he didn't believe it. He burst through the door and found her on the floor.

He instantly rushed over and kneeled next to her. But not before making sure the door was shut so they could have a private conversation.

He grabbed her arms and got as close as he could.

"Hey, talk to me," he soothed, "Let it out, Lara."

She shook her head and covered her ears. But he pulled her hands away.

"This is crazy, Finnick!" she admitted. She kept going on and on in twisted words about how the whole rebellion and Katniss thing was too much. Her doubts were leading her to believe it would destroy them. Thankfully, the plan wasn't exposed due to the shower covering up their words and the door being shut.

Eventually, Finnick couldn't understand her anymore. He shook her gently and wiped at the water running down her face.

"Listen to me!" he whisper shouted, "The only way we get out of here is by trusting Katniss and Peeta."

"How are we supposed to trust them if they don't even know what's really happening?" she questioned, keeping the same volume level.

Her wary eyes met his own confident ones.

"Then trust me."

She paused. If anything, he was the one of the only ones she trusted. There were no doubts about that. So it was stupid to ask to trust him, when she'd clearly do so much more than that for him.

"Finnick...there's only one way to win the game," she murmured sadly, "And if it comes down to you, Katniss, and Peeta or even myself...who do you think I'll choose?"

His face softened as he read between the lines. He saw streaks of faded red run down her cheeks from the water as it washed it away.

He knew there was too much going on to truly ask what she meant. So he instead smiled lightly and helped her stand. It was a gesture that meant she needed to pick herself up quickly for the sake of herself and everyone else that looked up to her.

He wiped away the red streaks of water on her cheeks. She gratefully nodded and her tears disappeared.

"And there it is," Finnick muttered, hinting at her emotional switch, which still confused him to this day.