Poison // Catching fire AU

1.

There were things Azalea Mellark couldn't share with her best friend.

Starting with his expression as he scribbled something in his notebook. Or maybe his distracted smile when he looked up to see her watching him. It was amazing how he could get lost in the world of his own thoughts and come back so rarely.

Aeneas rarely told her what was going on in his head, as if it was more of a scary story that she didn't need to know. A story that would lead to nothing good, that would lead only to the nightmares that her parents got every night.

But now—as they sat in the garden of the Presidential Mansion and Azalea slowly studied his face—she discovered something else.

Calmness mixed with worry. Fear mixed with courage.

All the things that made him human. Not just Snow's grandson. Not just the next president of Panem. All the things that made Azalea believe that one day things would be different. For the people of the Districts. For the Capitol. Everything would be different because Aeneas was willing to do it.

"Excited to go home?" Neas didn't even look up from his notebook.

"Who can even be excited about going to 12?" Azalea leaned back against the blanket.

"I would like to go to 12," he continued to scribble something. "I want to see what's there."

"Hunger. Misery. More hunger. Death. I mean, you're watching The Hunger Games, where no one is killing anyone, but everyone is slowly dying."

"No. I mean...how are people different from the ones here? Don't you notice?"

She wanted to snort. Of course she noticed. Every goddamn breath she took was hundreds of times different than the people in the Capitol. The only reason no one mentioned it though was Aeneas.

The answer to his question was obvious. He only had to look at her and then at himself. He should have seen how where he had built muscles - typical of District 2 tributes - Azalea was small and thin. Despite her parents' wealth from the Games, Azalea and her brothers didn't eat too much. They saw the people around them - their need. Then - the very way Aeneas walked...hell, he was always the center of attention, he enjoyed it all - the smiles, the glances, the small talk. Azalea the shadow of the shadow - walked slowly, quietly. No one noticed her...almost.

There were times - during the Tours, at the beginning and end of the year (when they were talking about the Games in general) - when everyone was watching her. The daughter of Katniss and Peeta Mellark. The daughter of the star-crossed lovers of District 12.

Or when he was sitting with his friends. At first, the most logical thing for Azalea was to get close to other children in her position. Aphrodite Nicholo - Cashmere's daughter from District 1 - and Esme Cresta... yeah, Annie Cresta's daughter needed no introduction. The problem was that they were both winners. In two consecutive Games - the last two Games.  A boy at school had even asked when Azalea was going to volunteer for the Games. "At least get your pretty girlfriends out of this pathetic semblance of a social life they have because of you."

So... if Aeneas needed a serious answer, he could just look around.

"Have Aphrodite and Esme left yet?" Neas asked again when Zea didn't answer the previous one. She nodded. "What the hell are you waiting for?"

"Your sister," Azalea smiled softly. "Remember? She will be coming with me to spend the summer in 12."

"As a peacekeeper!" Aeneas' voice was irritated. "She's the president's granddaughter! She can do whatever she wants, and she goes to 12 to be... that's just awful! Of her, of course."