.Forest Fire (Johanna Mason X F.OC).

-Better-

Shtunk.

A familiar sound that almost comforted Paige, reminding her of home, a calmer time in her life, even before the games.

Shtunk.

A sound that reminded her of what she was capable of doing.

Shtunk.

The Capitol had took everything from her, her family, her friends, her sleep, her life.

Shtunk.

But not Johanna, and if it meant a world where the victor could live.

Shtunk.

She'd fight, she'd blaze, she'll be the forest fire she was meant to be.

Shtunk.

She'd be part of this revolution and fight tooth and nail, for the same reason as she thought in the 75th.

Shtunk.

To make sure Johanna Mason gets out of this alive.

"I see you haven't lost your aim." Paige looked away from the targets and at Finnick. "A sugar cube?" He offered with a smile.

"Give it here." She plucked it from between his fingers and popped it in her mouth. "And yeah, they want me with 12." She shivered at the thought of the girl, she was not as badly affected at Peeta was, she was not as close to the girl, but there was still a fear gripping her heart each time she thought of her.

She went to once again retrieve her hand axes, finding it almost fitting that these looked exactly like the ones in the 75th's arena, she suspected them to have been stolen from the Capitol to look twins of those weapons.

She wore the belt for them, slotting the four of them in place on it, this belt was different from the arena tho, there was a place for one on each hip and two placed in an X in the back.

"Katniss is not what the Capitol made you believe, she kept demanding to save you guys over and over again."

"I know that Finnick but I can't help it."

"I know that too, just telling so you know." He stepped closer. "Doesn't 7 use axes?" He asked, making her look over and grin, reminding her of a similar question she asked of someone in her games.

"We do, a hand axe is just a short axe."

"Shame, I came here to watch you throw axes."

"Spying on me 4?"

"You could say that 7."

She grinned softly.

"I'll always miss him even if I didn't know him for long."

"I do too Paige, I do too."

"So want to try?" She unhooked an axe from her belt and held it to him.

"I don't know if I'll be good."

"Nelson taught me to throw a spear in an hour, I can at least teach you the basic of an axe in that amount of time."

"Alright," He grabbed the handle by the head, both still holding the weapon. "I accept the challenge."

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"I am so happy you didn't volunteer." Cato looked over his shoulder.

"7." He stood.

"Call me Paige." She waved off. "Tho I am sorry, the Capitol took the hair tie you got me." She said, looking at her wrist, they took everything.

"It's nothing, I am just happy it got to you, you were my friend's friend, least I could do." She saw him still wear her hair tie.

"Yeah, I am happy I was too." She pat his shoulder, walking off, having just accidentally crossed paths with him but meeting him was not her goal, it still made her smile.

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"You think I'll ever be normal?" Paige asked, having snuck out of the compound, needing to breathe and someone knowing the way out guided her to the surface.

"I think none of us will ever be normal, victors will always be victors." Johanna said, watching Paige crouch near a riverbank and almost methodically sort through stone after stone before grabbing one, holding it tight and skipped it on the water, for some reason her task to find the perfect stone was distracting enough to not be terrified but she did look uncomfortable.

"I suppose." She quickly picked another stone up, a little round one. "Okay, got it, lets leave!" She said, the moment her temporary goal was fulfilled, panic started to seep in.

"Of course." Johanna grabbed her hand as she led her away from there to another place in the forest where they wouldn't hear the water but still be safe despite being out of the base. "Why did you even go near it?"

"Stones are found near the river and Finnick gave me an ideas."

"Oh god what did fish brains do?" Paige chuckled shakily.

"It is said that in 4, you'd get something from the ocean that reminds you of the others as gifts, we don't have an ocean near but there was this river I remembered the sound off when we were brought in."

"Get to the point Paper."

"It's just." She held up the stone next to Johanna's head, as if she was comparing the two. "looks just like the color of your eyes Jo." She said.

Johanna found it stupid from Peeta to give Katniss a pearl in the arena, a stupid useless gift, and yet, when this rock was given to her, she understood how much of a special gift that pearl was.

She held the little flat rock in her hands before clearing her throat.

"Well at least you are getting better, Coin is being a bitch and pressuring about you doing something, if you can at least exist near water with a goal in mind, she should stop complaining." She held the stone tightly in her hand.

"I don't want to be near it."

"I know Paper, small steps." She grabbed her hand with the other. "It is really good that you are able to keep calm hearing water now, I am really proud."

Paige couldn't help but smile.

Maybe she was getting a bit better and even if she wasn't, it was all worth it for her fellow district 7 winner, all was for it for Johanna.

She just wished she had the courage to tell her those three words too, just like how she had, so terrified that this was still all a dream fabricated by the Capitol.

"Hey." She felt a hand on her cheek, snapping her out of it. "Everything's alright."

She leaned her head in it, wishing she could fully believe but she'd need to see Snow die to believe all was truly alright... And she'll make sure that it would become a reality.