Calm Before The Storm {Finnick Odair}

Sting

Hebe strolled into the apartment with a confidence she hadn't felt since her days at the academy, her mentors, escort and Luca all sat down in the large conversation seat. They looked up upon her arrival and she flopped down on the sofa, filled with a sense of triumph.

"I assume it went well then?" Finnick asked from next to her, arms draped across the back of the sofa, hands just inches away from Hebe's head.

"Oh it went splendidly." She replied, a conspiratorial grin crossing her face, "Luca, how did it go for you?"

"Pretty well. I knotted a big web of rope together and shot arrows through all the little holes. The gamemakers seemed pretty impressed. They clapped me on my way out." He responded, clearly pleased with his performance. Hebe knew he had been slightly worried because he knew they underestimated him, so she was glad things had finally gone to plan for the boy.

"So what'd you do? I don't think I've ever seen you quite so smug." Finnick asked, Luca leaning forward keenly.

"I tied this big dumbbell up in one of the nets and put this dummy directly underneath it. Then I threw some axes to cut the rope. Blindfolded. Oh and I wrote 'careers' on the dummy."

The group just gaped at her, unable to believe what they had just heard. Even Ambrosia couldn't summon one of her Capitolite gasps.

"Blindfolded?" Luca spluttered, it almost sounded like he didn't believe her.

"Yup. Had to cut off this bit of cloth from my trousers." She raised her leg, and they all looked at the gash in the fabric.

Mags shook her head in disbelief, her lips curving up in a smile. Finnick however was still too stunned to speak, opening and closing his mouth like a fish out of water.

"And the greatest triumph of all, I've managed to shut up the Finnick Odair! I didn't know one could be capable of such a feat!" Luca laughed heartily at that, reaching forward to high-five Hebe, while Ambrosia leaned forward to give her a bone crushing hug.

Finnick just barely managed to regain his ability of speech when Antonio and Tigris came crashing through the doors.

"Tigris?" Hebe asked, confused as to why her stylist would be here. Was there some public appearance she hadn't been made aware of?

"No need to look so worried dear, we're just here to watch them release your training scores. And enjoy some of the food."

Hebe walked forward and hugged her stylist, then turned and shook hands with Antonio.

"Well then, let's all take our seats and wait for them to release the scores." Ambrosia said, leading their newest guests to the sofa, pouring them glasses of a pink alcoholic liquid.

They dissolved into individual conversations, Hebe feeling unable to socialise when she was still so jittery about the release of the training scores. She did indeed feel confident, how could she have put on a better show? But something nagged at the back of her mind, maybe it hadn't been as impressive as she thought? Maybe the careers had bested her. Then they'd come after Luca-

"You did good. Trust me, I spent 15 minutes winking and spinning a trident around and they gave me a 10. You'll be able to protect him." Finnick whispered into her ear, she turned and saw a genuine smile on his face.

"How did you-"

"You're not as hard to figure out as you like to think, Cross." He said cutting her off, tilting his head and smirking at her "That and you were muttering under your breath."

She smacked him across the shoulder and he was about to give her some clever retort before he was rudely interrupted by Caesar Flickerman, raving excitedly, praising the game's in the superlative terms that Hebe had quickly become accustomed to. Ambrosia squealed, turning the volume up so they could all hear.