Cage me like an animal • F Odair¹ •

XXVII

"I just want you to see me. I want you to know me,"

•∘♛∘•

They arrived back in District Four right on schedule. The events in District Four consisted of a speech made at the Justice Building, a dinner at Mayor Trenton's house with important members of the district, and a victory rally the next day for the entire district to enjoy. The victory rally fell on the same day as a Parcel Day, adding to the excitement in the atmosphere and making Athena feel a little better about the whole thing. The events as a whole were unbearable as usual to her, especially since celebrating her victory in  Four only reminded her that Kai was dead. Still, she pushed herself through it and the events all went off without a hitch. A few hours after the victory rally, Athena, Finnick, and Mags bid Alayne, Tatiana, Syrio, Ajax, Leto, and Hestia goodbye. The Capitol citizens were all teary-eyed as they hugged Athena goodbye in the train station - even Alayne, which surprised Athena.

"Oh, we're going to miss you so much!" said Tatiana.

"Yes, do visit when you can!" added Hestia, smiling.

"I'll - uh - do what I can," Athena said, shooting furtive looks at Finnick and Mags; even if she didn't end up becoming a mentor she knew she'd be going back to the Capitol whether she liked it or not. She didn't say anything of it, though, not quite wanting to bring up her conversation with President Snow.

Athena, Finnick, and Mags waved them goodbye as they boarded the train while cameras photographed every second of it. The three victors stayed behind until the train started moving and disappeared from sight, before walking back out of the train station.

"So," said Mags, "that's... Victory Tour... finished. You made it."

"I did," Athena agreed, letting out a deep breath. "Small victories, I guess."

Weeks passed by. Athena, Calypso, and their mother all tried to adjust, trying to find a new normal. Not everything was different. Athena still walked her sister to and from school every day. They all cooked meals together twice a week, something that kept them connected (they tried not to think about how their father wasn't there to drum out the beats of songs with kitchen utensils and jokingly start food fights while he helped). Athena still taught Calypso how to use a spear when their mother didn't know (she thought Calypso was too young, apparently ignoring the fact that Athena had started learning at younger than ten). Calypso still sang songs. Her mother still slept on one side of the bed, as though her husband might come in one night and settle right in beside her the way he had every night.

The changes were suffocating, though. All of them were different now, and Athena was the most changed of all. It was odd walking Calypso to school when Athena didn't have to walk into that building with her anymore. They didn't talk or laugh as much as they used to when cooking together. As natural as using a spear felt to her, sometimes Athena couldn't stand using one for too long, especially when she was teaching Calypso (it reminded her of everything she had done in that barren desert, reminded her of the fact that Calypso was still not safe from the Games). Calypso didn't sing The Turn of the Tide anymore. Her mother cried most nights from her bed, whimpering out her husband's name when she thought Athena and Calypso were asleep and couldn't hear her (most of the time, Calypso was asleep, but Athena almost never was; on the nights Calypso was awake, she tiptoed into Athena's room and lied next to her in her bed. The next morning, their mother would sleep in, the two sisters would make her breakfast and kiss her forehead when she woke up, and none of them would say anything about the previous night).

There was never a moment where Douglas Maris' absence went unfelt. The ghosts of the dead tributes from Athena's Games followed her wherever she went. Rowan Lindell was there in sunrises, Cara Savera in every sharp, knowing smile, Marjorie and Charity Hopper when she looked at herself in the mirror, Kai Emerson hidden in all different parts of the district, his home.