All for what? -A Finnick Odair x OC fic

Six

 Training for the games isn't so different from training at home. The weaponry is a lot nicer here, but once I am used to the weight of the knifes they sink into the targets one by one. 

 I'm not naive, I know that I am good with knifes. Beyond using them while on the docks fishing, Finnick was head strong about me training with a specific weapon after his games. He wanted me to be safe no matter what. 

  From the corner of my eye, I catch the tall boy from two watching me. Blaze, one of the largest tributes this year. I contemplate showing off, doing some trick to catch his attention, but I fear I have already done that. 

  It doesn't take much longer of throwing for him to approach me. As I am regathering my knifes, he plucks one from the wooden target, flipping it in his hand and reaching it to me. 

 I take it from him, twirling it and asking, "Was it a good enough show for ya?"

  "Just wanted to size up the competition," he answers quickly.

 I look him over, "I suppose that's a good strategy."

 "Strategy? What about you, what's your strategy?" He watches my nose crinkle as I think. 

 "To not die."

  Blaze lets out a deep laugh, "Mine is having strong people looking out for strong people. Take out the little ones first."

  I raise my eyebrows, but Blaze continues, "You and your boyfriend up for some allies?"

 I look to Venus, who is at the spears, launching them ahead at a target. I turn back to Blaze, "He isn't my boyfriend."

  Blaze laughs again, "Whatever you are or aren't.  It's the best way to stay alive."

 He's right.  I hate it, but he's right. I reach my hand out, "Allies."

   

     I wait until we have returned to the floor for the night to speak with Venus. "The careers have been watching us," I tell him once we are alone by a large window. 

 "Star spoke with me on the first day of training, but I've just seen them watching you since then," he answers.

  "They want us to join them," I wait for him to respond. 

 He looks uneasy, "I don't like it. I don't trust them."

 "We can't trust anyone. All twenty-four of us are going in and-" I halt my argument. 

"Only one comes out," Venus finishes. 

  The unspoken weight on top of us. No matter what we plan out, how much we look out for one another, the fact of the matter is, only one of us will go home. When we first arrived on the train I was fine with that person being Venus, but now I want to survive. I want to have the life with Finnick we always dreamed of, or at least a piece of it. 

 Venus breaks the silence, "I hope its you."

 "What?" I ask him in horror. 

 "I hope you make it home," he runs a hand through his hair, "I'm not saying I wont try, but if it isn't me, I hope its you."

  "Me too," I answer honestly. 

 Venus coughs, "We can go with the careers, but we split at the final eight."

  "What about us?" 

"Final six," he answers. 

  "Okay," I nod, "and if it comes down to just us?"

  I believe I catch tears in Venus's eyes when he answers, "We give it our all." 

  Without another word, I watch him move down the hall and into his bedroom. I am left, in the window, my cheeks hot and wet.