house of roses | finnick odair

𝙽𝙸𝙽𝙴𝚃𝙴𝙴𝙽

Valeria's eyes widened as she watched the berries drop from their hands, the two Victors from District 12 conveying the shock of Panem on their faces as they hugged each other tightly.

This must be a dream, Valeria thought to herself, but one glance at the crowd around her showed her it wasn't.

It was unheard of, absolutely ludicrous, but Valeria watched it happen with her own eyes. The citizens around her didn't seem to know what to think either, with half of them cheering for the star-crossed lovers while the other half murmured in confusion.

"We should go," Valeria grabbed Finnick's hand as she began dragging him through the crowd towards her private car, her mind racing with what would happen now.

Two victors, she repeated in her head as if it would make it seem more plausible. Two victors had never happened before.

Things were going to get more complicated now. Valeria could've handled one of the tributes from District 12 winning. That was an angle she could spin, but with two it became impossible. She couldn't come out and publicly support them, not without fueling the flames of rebellion more.

Not without her grandfather realizing what she was doing.

She hadn't realized she was still holding Finnick's hand with a tight grip until he cleared his throat beside her. Valeria pulled away quickly, glancing out the window of the car as her mind raced with what had just happened. Valeria didn't have time to think for long as she felt her phone buzz in her purse, fumbling through her bag until she finally pulled it out to find several missed messages.

Even Plutarch had been as bold to send her a direct message, and she didn't even have the capacity to curse him for it. What had happened was completely unprecedented.

"Is everything alright?" Finnick's question dragged her eyes up to meet his own sea-green ones. While a seemingly innocent question, Valeria could tell by the look in his eyes that he knew the implications of what two victors meant. She was sure he could see it in her wide, frazzled eyes as clear as day.

"Of course," Valeria's voice was strained as she forced a smile, knowing it did nothing to convince the victor beside her as they pulled up to her apartment.

She was rushing out the door before her driver could get there, Finnick scurrying to keep up with her quickened strides. The elevator ride was silent save for Valeria's impatient foot tapping rapidly against the floor, head tilted back as she stared at the ceiling with a million thoughts racing through her mind.

Finnick kept glancing over at her, trying to piece together what was going on in that blonde head of hers.

The elevator dinged as it stopped at the top floor, doors barely opened when Valeria slipped through. Her keys were already out of her purse and she tried not to let her hands shake as she slipped them into the keyhole. Valeria left the door open for Finnick to follow, not even stopping to take her heels off as she stepped into the living room.

She snatched the remote off the table, turning on the news until the familiar face of Caesar Flickerman appeared on the screen. The sound of his usual exuberance voice filled the room, laced with an unfamiliar tone of tension as he released an obviously fake laugh. Valeria barely registered Finnick entering the living room, placing her keys onto the glass table as he watched her snake her fingers through her hair nervously.

"This is bad," Valeria muttered as her phone began ringing.

She glanced down at the caller on the phone, releasing a deep breath before answering and holding it up to her face.

"Grandfather," Finnick tensed at the words that left Valeria's mouth. Although he wasn't there, the very idea of him sent a shiver down his spine, especially when something so volatile had happened right under his nose.