𝐌𝐀𝐃 𝐖𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐍, finnick odair

― 𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐰𝐨

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chapter twenty-two: so, we're friends now?

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❝ 𝐈 𝐃𝐎𝐍'𝐓 𝐆𝐄𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐎𝐈𝐍𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐒𝐎-𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐃 𝐕𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐘 ❞, 𝐕𝐈𝐒𝐇𝐀 𝐆𝐑𝐔𝐌𝐁𝐋𝐄𝐒 𝐓𝐎 𝐇𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐀𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐘 𝐒𝐇𝐔𝐅𝐅𝐋𝐄 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐎 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐓'𝐒 𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍. In front of them, Gideon and Delia stop abruptly. 

"Darling," Delia starts enthusiastically and, instantly, Visha knows she isn't going to like her next words. "This party is being thrown in your honour. To celebrate your victory. Everyone wants to get to know the elusive and deadly Visha Devi." 

"And I want to go back to my home. Or, at the very least, have a katana with me so that I can shove it up someone's ass if they annoy me." Visha shoots back, rolling her eyes as Delia lets loose an exasperated sigh. 

Gideon, on the other hand, snickers. "Just think of it as a way for you to meet the other Victors and Mentors. Remember, you're one of them now. It wouldn't hurt to get on friendly terms." 

"Remind me again why I'd want to be friends with a bunch of cold-blooded killers?" She tilts her head to the side.  

"You already are friends with cold-blooded killers," Hunter tells her. "Me and Gideon. And, on top of that, you're a cold-blooded killer now, too." 

"Ouch," Visha mutters under her breath. The fact the Aife isn't included in her list of friends doesn't even strike her. 

"Let's keep going," Delia decides, but doesn't start moving forward until she fixes Visha with a stern look, saying, "Be on your best behaviour. And smile!"

Visha pulls the corners of her mouth up in an exaggerated smile. 

Hunter shakes his head with a short laugh as he takes her arm in the crook of his own and escorts her deeper into the party. 

... 

Visha's long, maroon gown swishes at her feet as she determinedly makes her way to the bar where they are serving drinks. Ten minutes into her Victory Party, and she already wants to drink something that will make her escape this hell. She leans against the counter, smiling prettily at the bartender as she asks for the strongest they have. 

Resisting the urge to roll her eyes as the bartender's eyes sweep over her overtly-visible cleavage in the bustier top-half of her gown, Visha tilts her head to the side and bites her bottom lip. Seconds later, there is a long island ice tea on the counter in front of her. She winks as a 'thank you' and takes a cautious sip. 

"Oh, there you are!" Delia's squeal comes from behind, and it takes everything in Visha not to groan aloud. "My darling Victor, come, I simply must introduce you to these fine gentlemen." She grabs Visha's arm and steers her away from the bar, but not before Visha manages to take her cocktail along with her.