house of roses | finnick odair

𝙵𝙸𝚅𝙴

Valeria woke to the sound of the Panem anthem blasting throughout her apartment. She furrowed her eyebrows together in confusion before releasing a loud groan and rolling onto her side, burying her head deep enough into the pillow that the sounds became muffled. It quieted after a few moments, replaced by the familiar sound of Caesar Flickerman as his voice echoed into her room despite the door being shut tight. 

After a few more moments, Valeria pushed herself into a sitting position as a long yawn escaped her lips. She rubbed her eyes from the drowsiness before glancing over to her window, where sunlight was seeping through the curtains. It was the first full night's rest she had gotten in weeks, and that was only because she hadn't attended any parties the night before. 

Valeria slipped out of bed, making her way towards the noise as she opened the door to the rest of her apartment. Caesar's voice became clearer as she could make out him discussing the odds of each of the tributes based on the parade just the other day. Later that night would be the interviews, where tributes would hope their charm and wit could gain them a few sponsors. 

Her eyes landed on the brunette sitting on her couch, eyes glued to the screen as she absorbed every word Caesar spoke.

"You shouldn't watch trash like that," Valeria muttered as she walked towards the kitchen, gaining her sister's attention as she turned to look at her.

Cassia Snow, although still quite young, was already turning out as beautiful as their mother. Almost a spitting image with her long brown hair and freckled face. The only difference was their father's eyes that she was graced with. Sometimes Valeria felt jealous that her sister got all her features from their parents, and all she was left with was the prominent looks of a Snow.

While Valeria loved her sister very much, and would do anything to protect her, it still pained her to look at her sometimes when all she could see were her dead parents. Cassia was lucky in a way, being just a baby when their parents passed away without so much as a memory to remember them while Valeria was stuck with the nightmares every waking moment of her life.

"Caesar Flickerman is not trash," Cassia defended her idol as Valeria entered the kitchen, heading straight towards the coffee machine she so desperately needed. "And grandpa watches him too so it can't be that bad."

Valeria resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the logic, knowing their grandfather only watched it to make sure Caesar Flickerman said and did the right thing at the right time. One wrong move and Caesar would lose his job just as quickly, it didn't matter how much the Capitol adored him. People were always replaceable to her grandfather. 

She kept her mouth shut despite her thoughts, knowing it wouldn't do any good. Cassia adored their grandfather to no end, just like Valeria did when she was young and oblivious to the world around them.

"It's just celebrity gossip," Valeria said instead as she pulled the steaming cup of coffee up to her lips to blow on it in hopes it would cool faster. "I don't think it's anything worth noting."

Cassia huffed as she crossed her arms and fell back into the couch. 

"I think it's entertaining," Cassia muttered loud enough for Valeria to hear as she joined her sister in the living room, sitting at the edge of the couch. "Look, they even mentioned you a few times."

Valeria followed Cassia's pointed finger to a video of her handing Katniss Everdeen a rose the other night, which had caused quite an uproar among the crowd as people debated whether the District 12 girl really had what it took to win the games.

"You call it trash while fraternizing with the tributes yourself," Cassia whined with a pout on her face. "Grandpa won't let me meet any of them, not even the Victors."