Poison // Catching fire AU

3.

Aeneas was standing in the shadow of a column at the station, watching the trains arriving from the various Districts. First - of course - to arrive were Districts 1, 2, 9 and 4, being the closest to the Capitol. 

The moment they saw him Aphrodite and Esme made their way through the crowd. Aph's jaws were so clenched that Aeneas felt as if a bone would snap. Esme, on the other hand, was smiling at the people around her as if nothing had happened. Finnick, Annie, Cashmere and Gloss were waiting for them by the train, as if they were just going to buy water.

"I hope you have a plan," Aphrodite hissed at him almost immediately.

"For what?" Neas winced and in a moment everything inside him died. "Azalea. She's the tribute for District 12."

"Are you serious?" Esme hissed. "We didn't know."

Aeneas looked around, trying to breathe deeply. He had to stay calm. I had to... Azalea was going to be fine. He would cover himself. Just... "So. Alliances?"

Aphrodite crossed her arms in front of her chest and her raised blonde eyebrows alone made Aeneas ready to run away. "We're in the middle of a fucking station, do you think this is the time and place to talk about these things?!" Sometimes Aeneas knew that he was not afraid of anything in this world. Then he looked at Aphrodite Nicholo and knew that things were not quite like that.

"You're right, I'm sorry," Neas looked around the station. "They should be here soon, right?" Esme nodded, now slightly annoyed. "Alright... Right. I'll send one of my avox over tonight. I'll do my best to fix this, you fix the mentoring part." The girls nodded. "Okay..."

"Neas," Esme called in her soft, lullaby-like voice. "We know you're worried. But now the important thing is to be strong. Zea has a plan. She always does."

"Not now," Aphrodite shook her head. "Who might have a plan for The Hunger Games?"

Azalea, he wanted to answer. Because she knew what the arena was like. She knew what to do to win. Also, Azalea Mellark had an unfair advantage. She had grown up before the eyes of the Capitol. People loved her. Others wanted to be like her. It didn't matter. They would all help the little daughter of the victors, who was one of them.

The District 12 train arrived in just a minute. Aphrodite and Esme - like two hunting dogs - turned around the moment Azalea jumped off the train and the paparazzi surrounded her. Aeneas heard them - every single question, every single comment - and he wished he was in a position to kill them all.

"Miss Mellark!"

"This way!"

"How does it feel like?"

"Will you win?"

Azalea stepped into the role almost immediately. The smile on her lips was flawless, a Capitol smile that she had practiced in front of Aeneas himself for years. Her parents were sitting next to her along with the male tribute - a boy of about 13 years old. 

A boy that Azalea pushes forward. "This is Asther. My ally in the upcoming Games."

The boy, the paparazzi, Zea's parents, Esme, Aphrodite and Aeneas - all - were thinking the same thing. That damn girl is crazy. Hell, why else would she choose to protect... That's it. To protect.

Aeneas laughed the moment he caught Azalea's eye and started clapping. "Well done!"

The paparazzi turned to him. "What do you mean Mr. Snow?" 

Aeneas never took his eyes off Azalea. "That," he pointed out lightly, "means courage. To defend those who cannot defend themselves. Wouldn't you agree, ladies and gentlemen, that this is the bravest thing we've seen at the Games in quite some time?"