BLOOD ON MY HANDS || Finnick Odair

twenty four; preparation.

AUTHORS NOTE: for those of you who read this story as it was being published, you were probably confused about whether Eden was from District 9 or District 10. That is not your fault. Because I'm an idiot, I thought I would be able to remember a simple number without writing it down but apparently not. I've since edited it, and I want to clarify that Eden Koyle is a member of District 10.

Eden had been right.

Just after dawn, several motor vehicles came up the street parked on the road in front of their house. He could see Emery in his kitchen window, scowling at everyone busying up the front walk.

The sounds of cases rolling across pavement, dozens of chattering voices and rattling objects came closer and closer to the wide open front door until they were flooding the front room and hallway. All of the bright colours and different voices was a drastic change from the night before. All these people beaming at him, shouting greetings and compliments; it felt wrong.

It was wrong for him to be pampered while his hands were dripping with red. Wrong when he had the souls of three people waiting for him, for the moment he crossed over to the next world.

Fawke was the only somewhat comforting face. Her hair was no longer an Afro, rather long blow braids falling down to her knees. The familiar golden stencilling across her cheekbones was there, as well as a new addition of it down the front column of her throat. She was dressed in a long silver gown with some kind of cape or cloak draped from the backs of her shoulders. "Hey, Hunnie," she smiled at him.

Eden took a glance at the dress and raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

Valynn came in next, gushing about the rustic look of these houses and how she sometimes loved them more than her own home. They're much too small of course, she was saying as she kissed him on both cheeks and continued in forward. But they're so sweet. She quickly disappeared down the hall into the kitchen, where Eve was getting breakfast ready for Cissy.

"She looks just gorgeous, doesn't she?" Another familiar voice tore through the comfort from behind her.

His prep team came bustling inside with all their bags and boxes, different clothing bags draped anywhere they could fit them. It was Hinge who had spoken.

She still had gears decorating her irises, and now looked much more mechanical than she had the last time he saw her. Intricate art of metal plating and cosmetically inserted bolts and screws now ran the lengths of her arms and legs.

The thought of having them done almost made him vomit.

The other two — Odi and Aylo — were survivors of a catastrophic colour explosion. If he were honest he couldn't tell them apart at first sight. One was dressed in a bright yellow and red dress while the other wore orange pants and a patterned shirt. But they kept themselves busy and since he only got a hello before they set to work he didn't have to worry about it.

"She created the pattern herself," Hinge went on, and it took him a moment to realize she was back to talking about the dress. "Had yards of the fabrics made specially! She's going to sell them!" She turned to Fawke, her metal grey eyes shining with excitement. "I'm hoping to get one in black."

"You'll get one," Fawke smiled at her.

"Can we watch the baby while you're getting dressed?" One of the colour bombs asked. The excitement and hope in his eyes was almost childish.

"You can help my sister, yeah," Eden nodded quietly.

Eve wouldn't need any help with Cissy, she couldn't go very far, but he figured his family could take time for themselves. They would be getting somewhat dressed up for their brief appearance on Capitol media with him anyway. Now they could prepare for it.