Cage me like an animal • F Odair¹ •

XXVI

"He chose you, you know."

•∘♛∘•

They slept together again that night, Athena and Finnick, after their visit to District One, when they were on the way to District Two. They did the same the next night, then the next night, so that they stopped needing to ask. They alternated on whose chambers they would go to, though they weren't sure why; maybe it made them seem less conspicuous that way. Sure enough, though, nobody gave any sign of knowing about it other than Mags. The nightmares still came and it seemed like the guilt and grief would never go away, but Athena felt less cold and less alone sleeping beside Finnick. They soon abandoned all pretence, and would be curled together within minutes. Sleep became easier and Athena started refusing Alayne's pills - not that they had done much for her, anyway.

The Tour did not get any easier the closer they got to the finish, but Athena gritted her teeth and pushed through it, making herself smile and wave and be charming and enthusiastic and grateful to the Capitol. Soon, they were finishing their visit to District Three and were on their way to the Capitol. Athena was nervous about going back, but not because she felt like she had to convince the Capitol of anything. She used Alayne, her stylists, and her prep team to gauge an idea of how the Capitol was reacting to her; Tatiana, Syrio, Ajax, Leto, and Hestia were utterly convinced of her new act and falling under her spell, and Alayne was shocked but pleased about where this new attitude was coming from, since she even carried it with her on the train sometimes (Athena suddenly understood why Finnick kept up that flirtatious, seductive personality even when there wasn't anyone from the Capitol around; it was easier to convince people of it if it became part of who you are), which was a strong indication to Athena that she already had the Capitol convinced. The thing that kept Athena nervous was the likelihood of her being face-to-face with Snow again. She had done everything she could think to do to convince him and the districts that she was nothing but a smiling victor who loved and felt so grateful to the Capitol for everything they had done for her. Judging from the cold, blank, sometimes angry looks she got from members of the audience who had expected better from her, she was doing a fairly good job of convincing the districts, but she had no idea whether Snow would think it was enough, whether he would be satisfied.

Athena was getting better at interviews. On the stage before the Training Center on the evening of their arrival in the Capitol, Caesar Flickerman (in his twinkling midnight blue suit, his hair, lips, and eyelids still lavender purple against powdery white skin) interviewed her in person this time. She wore a long dress that started as a dark blue that became progressively lighter in colour, with a plunging neckline, and blue and light pink flowers decorating the lacy top of the dress, particularly the neckline and the waist. She also wore a necklace and a crown of matching seashells. The audience was beside themselves over the dress, giving Tatiana and Syrio a round of applause and having Athena twirl around over and over until she was dizzy and clutching onto Caesar and insisting through giggles that she couldn't keep going. Caesar, as always, guided her through the interview seamlessly, and she gave all the answers that she knew would make the Capitol laugh and smile and swoon and gasp and sigh and even tear up.

President Snow himself made an appearance to welcome her back to the Capitol. He shook her hand, before wrapping her in a hug, enfolding her in the smell of blood and roses that made her nauseous, and kissed her cheek with those puffy lips. When he pulled away, digging his nails into her arms, Athena still smiled brightly, as though there was nowhere else she would rather be, but she raised her eyebrows just slightly, a silent question, asking what her lips could not. Had she done enough? Had she convinced him? Were she, Calypso, and her mother safe now?

How foolish of her to think that they might ever be safe.

In reply, President Snow smiled. Not as a confirmation that she had done what she was supposed to, though. It was an amused smile, because he saw quite clearly that he was torturing her and it amused him. He gave her no answer, no indication at all of whether or not she had succeeded. He was leaving her in the dark, torturing her for longer. Anger and fear, a dangerous combination in the best of times, were waging war against each other inside her, fighting to take control. Flight against fight, the desire to run and hide against the desire to punch him right in his puffed-up mouth. She could do neither of those things, though, so she stayed put and smiled brightly as Snow took her hand and raised it above their heads as they faced the wildly cheering audience again.