miss americana and the heartbreak prince | katniss everdeen

the rooftop.

THE QUARTER QUELL
Seven | The Rooftop
•••

WHEN FLEUR ENTERS THE TRAINING ROOM SHE BREAKS AWAY FROM GLOSS AND THE REST OF THE CAREERS. She surveys the room and finds that Johanna and Finnick are doing their own training. Fleur decides that she doesn't want to do any physical training because she doesn't need it and heads over to the knot station where Mags is busy working on a knot.

"Hi," Fleur says softly and Mags looks up at her and offers a smile. Fleur returns the gesture and she tries her best not to cry. How could anyone believe in something that forced a woman like Mags to fight for her life? She knew that she volunteered, but still, it wasn't fair.

Fleur averts her gaze to the rope before her and she begins tying random knots. She didn't know as many as someone in District Four would. When she messed up on a knot, Mags would gently touch her shoulder to get her attention and then show her the correct way to do the knot.

"Thank you," Fleur would tell her.

Half of the tributes don't show up for the training. It's no surprise to Fleur. They'd won their games before, which meant they knew how to kill. There was no need to train.  Fleur looks at Mags curiously and wonders what brought the other woman to the training center. Did she come simply to accompany Finnick?

When Katniss and Peeta arrive, they split up and Katniss makes her way over to Wiress and Beetee, whom Johanna had kindly nicknamed, Nuts and Volts. Fleur watches as Katniss teaches them to make a fire and she wonders how Katniss knows. She remembers when she'd arrived in District Twelve on her victory tour and saw how dirty their clothes were. How skinny the children were. The worst of District One lived better than the best of District Twelve.

Katniss wasn't only surviving in the games. She'd been surviving at home as well. It's strange to realize that no matter how bad Fleur may have found her life, she never had to worry about her next meal.

"Hello Mags," Finnick greets and Fleur looks away from Katniss and at the handsome tribute. Mags offers him a smile and gently touches his cheek. Finnick leans into her touch and looks over at Fleur.

"Did Johanna speak to you?" Finnick asks, his voice low and secretive.

"She did," Fleur responds.

"And? Are you going to run with your pack?" Finnick asks.

Fleur rolls her eyes, "They're not my pack."

"Ah that's right," Finnick says with a smile, "You kill Careers."

Fleur snorts, "Funny. I also kill people from District Four."

"You couldn't kill me," Finnick responds as he shifts closer to Fleur, "I'm too pretty."

Fleur smiles as she leans toward Finnick, "You know that face isn't going to get you out of everything."

Finnick bites his lip as he looks at Fleur, "Watch me prove you wrong."

Fleur laughs and shakes her head as she steps away from Finnick and looks at her knots and then back at him, "I'm not very good, but Mags has been kind about it."

Mags smiles and gives Fleur a gentle pat on the shoulder. Fleur relishes in the contact as she looks at the older woman.

"They're not that bad," Finnick says as he picks one up, "You'd be good enough to tie a noose."

"Don't tempt me," Fleur jokes, and Finnick smiles at her. Finnick's smile is beautiful, but she's learned the difference between a real Finnick smile and a false one. And the one he gives her is false.