Reputation (Finnick Odair)

Chapter 5

The parade ended just as quickly as it had started, the crowd-pleasing smile slipping off Atlas' face the second the chariot stopped. Mars quickly steps off the chariot first, putting a hand out to help Atlas step to the ground. Atlas grabs it, her movement restricted by the tight outfit. If she were to be honest, Atlas would say she hadn't even noticed much of anything around her throughout the parade. She was instead focused on her daydreams of winning the quell and killing the white-haired man standing at the end of the road. Of course, her attention was occasionally brought to the blonde man in the chariot in front of her waving to the crowd around him.

     Atlas glances up to see Haymitch approaching her, the district 11 tributes in tow. Atlas had met Seeder and Chaff several times over the years. They were both sweet but the age difference was prominent whenever she would talk to them. Seeder felt like a mother around the other tributes. Despite her ability to kill, she was surprisingly doting. Atlas had consoled her after the district 11 girls death the year prior. But Chaff was a different story. She was inclined to like him since he was a friend of Haymitch and once she gave the drunken man a chance she saw that he wasn't just a drunk. He was funny and not afraid to speak his mind, a rare trait these days.

     "Atlas!" Haymitch calls out to the girl. Atlas smiles at the sound of her favorite drinking partners voice, turning and opening her arms wide.

     "Haymitch!" Haymitch reaches the girl and wraps an arm around her shoulder for a second before looking behind her where Mars is standing.

     Mars and Haymitch had become fast friends as well.  They were around the same age and both picked up drinking after their respective games. Although Haymitch picked up drinking to black out. Mars just drank to cope.

     "Mars" Haymitch shares a rare smile and moves to converse with Atlas' district partner. Atlas turns her attention to the pair from 11, smiling as Seeder pulls her into a warm embrace. Once Seeder releases her from the hug, Chaff lays a small kiss against the girl's head, as a father would.

     "You look beautiful," Seeder grins, gesturing her hands at the girls flowing hair and form-fitting dress.

     "Thank you, you do too," Atlas tries to keep the conversation scarce to avoid becoming too emotional. She smiles politely as she feels an arm wrap around her shoulder. She turns her head and sees Haymitch and Mars approaching her from both sides.

     "My tributes are coming in now, I want to introduce you all to them," Haymitch slurs a few of his words, clearly already drunk. But he seems sober enough to function so Atlas leaves it alone.

     "I've actually met them already," Atlas smiles politely at the drunk man, starting to turn on her heel, smiling at the pair from 11 as she does, "So I'm just gonna head back to my room. It's been wonderful to see you though."

     "I'll be up in a minute," Mars says, moving towards where Haymitch is walking, "Don't talk to strangers.

     Atlas laughs at that and Mars grins, turning and slightly jogging to Haymitch whos standing next to Katniss and Peeta. Atlas smiles warily at the sight of all the victors getting along, a sick feeling making it's way through her. She grimaces, attempting to ignore it and walks towards the elevator, he heels clicking against the hard floor. She can't wait to get out of this dress. As beatififul as it was, she was suddenly feeling lightheaded and it was probably because of how tight her dress was.

     She watches as the elevator leaves with Mags and her friend from 10 inside of it. Atlas assumes Finnick is in there too and pressed the button for the next one casually. She picks at the polish on her nails, the gold color complimenting her tanned skin nicely. Just as the doors to the elevator open, a hand grabs hers tightly, pulling to two of them onto it. The stranger presses two buttons on the elevator and Atlas starts to see clearly for the first time since the doors opened. In front of her is the oh so recognizable blonde hair of Finnick Odair himself.

     "Finnick!" Atlas throws herself against him, arms wrapping around his neck and legs lifting off the ground. Finnick laughs, wrapping his arms around her back and burying his face in her hair.

      "It's so great to see you," Finnick smiles softly, brushing a piece of hair out of the girls face.

     "It's great to see you too," Atlas smiles softly, staring into his eyes. He sets her down but her arms stay wrapped around his neck. They simply stare into each others eyes for what feels like hours but is only a few seconds.

     It feels like there is magnets in between the two and Atlas is pulled close to the boy, her eyes flicking to his lips. They've kissed before but that always felt like comfort from their usual business. But now, they had no reason for that, both of their careers in the capitol most likely coming to an end. So why did Atlas feel so enticed to kiss the boy made from gold? A warmth brews between them, heating the girls cheeks and setting a fire that burns across her skin, leaving only the barren quiet of an ashen forest in its wake.

     Just as Atlas moves an inch forward, the incessant beep of the elevator sings and Atlas is pulled away from the boy. Floor 4. Finnicks floor. 

     "Goodnight Finnick." Atlas seems to push the boy out of the elevator hastily. He turns and smiles dopily at the girl.

     "Goodnight Atlas." He grins and Atlas stomach flips. He was just being friendly to a friend being sentenced to almost certain death, atlas thought to herself.

     But as she leans her body weight against the side of the elevator, it feels more like she's trying to convince herself of that fact. Atlas tries to rid her face of the blush gracing her tanned skin as the elevator door opens up to the fifth floor. She goes about straightening the sarong around her waist and tucking loose strands of hair behind her ear. As the door opens, Atlas is met by an unexpected sound. Loud laughter drifts down the hall into the elevator. Atlas walks towards the pleasant noise and is met by a strange sight.

     "You should've seen her face when he did it, she looked so shocked," Mars is sat on the couch, laughing hard with an unknown drink in his hand. The rest of the crew from district 5 is sat around him, looking joyous for the first time. Olympias usual tight braids are unwoven, the white white hair flowing like waves in a storm. Apricot is wearing the standard strange capitol attire but she holds a drink in her hand instead of the usual jewels. Even Diamond is in on the festivities, her capitol clothing abandoned for a simple grey dress. All in all, the group looked relaxed.

     "You look happy," Atlas smiles at the group, specifically Mars. The man stands, handing Atlas an unopened drink.

     "I've accepted my situation and have decided to live my last days to the fullest miss lily flower," Atlas grimaces at the nickname that Diamond had clearly told him about. But she can't help the small smile that etched onto her face at the sight of Mars' own smile, "Come join us as we wait for dinner. While other victors are wallowing in their misery and grumpiness we will be accepting a positive outlook, yes?"

     Atlas laughs at the older man's antics, stepping into the living room, "Yeah, we will."

     As Atlas looks around at the family that had been assigned to her, a feeling of dread sneaks up and infects the feeling of joy that Mars had previously given to her. Dread that this would be over so soon. Dread of her almost guaranteed goodbye.

A/N
Slower updates as we enter testing season. Thank you for reading and I'm sorry xxx. <3