Fluid || Finnick Odair

1

It wasn't unusual to hear a babies cries in the early stages of the morning. In fact, that was the most regular thing about the Van Oss household.

Every single morning, a five on the dot, a baby's cries filled the air. Every single morning, Rio Van Oss would wake up to the cries, and tend to the baby. His mother and father both worked- they had to if they wanted to survive. Even if Four was one of the richer Districts in Panem, they had to do so much to survive. There was no privilege.

Even on Reaping day, there was no time to rest. At five, as always, the baby started to cry, and Rio trudged from his bed. The only difference was, he'd never been to sleep in the first place.

If he dared try, nightmares would flood his mind. It was the one day of the year that dreams would effect him. It was the one day Rio would be mindful of what he said. Reaping day was the one day where everything was different.

Despite having been alive for sixteen Hunger Games thus far, this years being the seventeenth, the nerves never subsided. Ever since he was twelve years old, Rio had been faced with the idea of slaughtering other children for sport. There were only two more years he had to endure, two more Reapings- and one of them was today.

The baby cried again. Louder this time.

Rio wished his parents were home. He wanted to cry too. But no one would hear him.

"Hey, Onnie." The boy cradled the baby in his arms, rocking her back and forth as he had done since her birth. "It's just me. Everything's alright."

Rio hated how he had to lie, but she just wouldn't understand yet. Ondine Van Oss was barely a year old, and wouldn't have known the difference between the end of the world, and the dawn of a new day. There was no use in ruining her life just yet, it had scarcely begun.

"See?" Rio smiled as the toothless gums of his sister began to shine through. "Aren't you just beautiful?"

It was always so quiet whenever Onnie happened to be calm. She was the main cause for any noise due to her baby-like needs. In any other household, there would be crying too. It was guaranteed in every house across all of Panem- but at least here it wasn't from fear. Every complaint came from the toothless lips of an innocent baby with no experience of the world.

Perhaps that was the best way to be.

Every adult was given the afternoon off as the Reaping in District Four began exactly at midday. It was compulsory for everyone to be there, even if they weren't being reaped. By ten, his parents were home, and making do with whatever food they had so Rio could eat beforehand.

As they did, he changed his clothes. Everyone had a good set they used for the Reaping. Rio's had been passed down from his father. He didn't have any brothers to share with- it was just him and Onnie.

Rio scrubbed his skin so to remove every sin. The sponge grazed and bruised from pressure, but it would be hidden by the sleeves of his shirt anyhow. He looked fragile, as any malnourished child might, but they knew he was better off than most. The Van Oss boy ate two meals a day, some in the poorer Districts wouldn't have even been able to manage one.

Then he looked in the mirror.

His dark eyes were still surrounded by purple bags due to lack of sleep. Each bone in his body was visible, but it wasn't noticeable, not if you weren't looking. Rio was definitely looking. Even his black hair washed him out, something he was born with, and something he wouldn't be able to change unless the Capitol was suddenly giving out full makeovers for regular citizens.