miss americana and the heartbreak prince | katniss everdeen

the finale.

THE QUARTER QUELL
Eleven | The Finale
•••

BEETEE HAS A PLAN TO ELECTROCUTE THE BEACH. THEY ALL GATHER AROUND TO LISTEN TO IT but Fleur sits in the sand, sculpting it with her hands. If she was going to die in this arena, then she was at least going to experience things that she hadn't previously.

Starting with a sandcastle.

"What are you doing?"

Fleur looks up to see Katniss standing over her. She looks around the beach to find that they're still talking strategy and for some reason, Katniss is talking to her.

"I'm making a sandcastle," Fleur says, "Well more of a sandpile. I've never made one before and I don't know if I'll ever see a beach again."

Katniss takes a seat in the sand beside her, looking over at Fleur. She doesn't say anything. She just watches her. Fleur looks at Katniss and she notices the mockingjay pin on her sleeve. Fleur goes back to her sandcastle, attempting to shape it into at least a building.

"I've never seen a mockingjay. Not in the flesh," Fleur states, "Do you know how they came about?"

"I heard jabberjays and mockingbirds bred and made a new species," Katniss says.

Fleur smiles, "Jabberjays were used during the war to spy on rebels and pick up their conversations. They weren't very good. So, they just released them into the districts. It's interesting how something created for war found something of nature. Together they made something beautiful."

"You think mockingjays are beautiful?" Katniss asks.

"The imitation of a jabberjay and the tune of a mockingbird allows the mockingjay to sing the most beautiful song," Fleur says with a smile as she looks at her sandcastle. Katniss watches Fleur and can't help but admire her.

She thinks of Peeta's attempts to get to know her on the victory tour. One of the questions he asked was her favorite color.

"What's your favorite color?"

Fleur looks up, amused by the question, "Won't this just make it harder to kill me in the end?"

"My favorite color is green," Katniss answers, ignoring Fleur's words, "Like leaves in the forest."

"Pink," Fleur answers, "There were these flowers that grew near my house when I was younger, and they were a pale pink, and they were so pretty. Glimmer would want to pick them, and I wouldn't let her."

"Pink?" Katniss says with a smile.

Fleur rolls her eyes, "I know, it's entirely predictable. And girly."

"It is," Katniss responds, "But sometimes predictable is good."

Fleur looks at Katniss and shakes her head, "Why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?"

"Making it harder on yourself," Fleur says, "We're getting close to the finale."

Katniss shrugs, "Maybe I don't want to kill you."

"That's not what you were saying before," Fleur responds with a smile, "Are you ready to admit I've grown on you, Twelve?"

"I have grown to – admire you," Katniss states. Fleur's smile widens and she looks down bashfully.

"It's my humor, isn't it?" Fleur asks, "You think I'm funny."

"No," Katniss says shaking her head, "It's – everything. You're a much better person than me. Than all of us."