[Flowers] • The Hunger Games

Seven

She didn't say anything. She just gave him a short nod, and he began to pull her away. They climbed a vacant flight of stairs- most of everyone else flocked to the elevators- and came up to a terrace, sat vacant as everyone was glued to watching the tribute interviews.

Finnick shut the glass doors behind them, muting the sound of the speakers and music and whatever else was happening inside. The wind blew gently. It was warm out even though the sun had set. Late spring, almost early summer.

"You look...you look lovely, Terra." Finnick decided, standing away from her as the tension in the air rose.

"Before- before anything else, I need you to hear that I really am sorry." Asteria told him, crossing her arms over herself. She couldn't meet his eye. The shame was still too much to bear.

"Asteria-"

"No- I know. Okay? I- I'm a hypocrite, insensitive. And I'm sure you've realized by now that I'm exactly what everyone thinks of me. And you regret everything- yeah, I can handle that. You can hate me if you want, I totally get it because I am easy to hate. I know that. But I need you to know that I didn't mean- I think the world of you, and I'm sorry that I ruined it and-"

"Asteria-"

"...I just wish I could go back and tear out that stupid page, because I haven't thought it was true in a long time and I just never got around to it, and I-"

"Terra."

Asteria blinked, losing her train of thought. Finnick took a few steps closer to her. She couldn't help but to look up at him. With those big, dark, dumb doe eyes she'd had a lifetime ago.

"I know. I know all of that." Finnick told her. He sighed. "Honestly? I'm over it."

"I- you- what?"

He let out a small laugh.

"I'll admit. I was pretty upset in the moment. I mean really, you wrote some awful things about me." He said. She looked away, embarrassed. "But then I read it again. And again. All the way through. And I started looking at it from your point of view. I've only seen district twelve once. It's hard for me to...conceptualize what life is like there." He said.

"Still. I- come on, Finnick, you can't just let me off the hook that easily." Asteria told him.

He sighed, looking at her. Maybe just a second too long. That second made her heartbeat quicken.

"Your tributes, they're not heroes. When you're reaped it isn't an opportunity. It's a death sentence." Finnick said aloud. "Sure. Sometimes it's the same in four. But you're right- I was raised to be a career. Because of that, I can't understand what it's like to be you. You hate the careers. And you have every right to. They're put in the games for fortune and fame. Everyone else? They're there because they got unlucky."

Asteria paused for a moment.

"You know what tesserae are, right?" She asked. He seemed a bit taken aback, but answered nonetheless.

"Uh, yeah- it's the meal plan, right? Bread and meat for one person for one year." Finnick said.

"Bread and meat?" Asteria scoffed, incredulously. "Sure. Yeah, in twelve it's grain and oil. You ever know anyone who had to take one out?" She asked.

Finnick paused for a moment. He shook his head slowly. "No, not that I know of, why?" He asked.

Asteria moved over to the edge of the balcony. She leaned against the railing. Looking out over the balcony. Finnick moved to stand beside her.