A fate worse than death~~A Finnick Odair story~~

17. A bunch of train journeys

The homecoming that Elizabeth had been looking forward to for so long was unlike anything she had imagined. When she got off the train, she was greeted not by her family, but by four peacekeepers. They didn't stop at her house but went straight to victor's village, or well, I guess they actually went straight to Elizabeth's house, her new home.

But it didn't feel that way. The big white house she now stood in front of was not her home, she just wanted her home, the blue little house with the dock outside, the house that lived with Ian's laughter and mother's scolding, the joy when father came home from a long journey, yes Elizabeth wanted home, and this this was not home.

In her thoughts, she hadn't noticed the tears that had begun to fall from her cheeks or the chambers that swarmed around her to catch her reaction. So now they got a reaction, the young girl was so terribly happy about her new home, so grateful that she started crying, or at least that's what the capital would gett to believe.

She went through the whole house, opening every door and studying every room, forgetting about them after she opened the next door. All the while with a camera crew following her.

Finally she landed in the kitchen. They had started from the top so finishing in the kitchen was natural, except she hadn't gone through the outside yet. Something she didn't want to do because the only camera had left the house.

"Elizabeth tell the people in the capital, how does it feel?!"

She didn't want to answer, didn't even listen, just wanted to know where her family was, that was all that mattered, but an elbow from Finnick in her side made it clear she couldn't reason like that anymore.

So after digesting the immediate pain in her side, she cleared her throat and said.
"Excuse me, it's all so much, what was the question? "
"What does the young victor think of the house and the president's generosity, the whole capital awaits her answer!"
It was suffocating.

But she didn't say that, the gods know what would have happened if she did. But just the thought brought a small smile to her lips as she looked straight into the nearest camera and said.
"It's breath taking."
And then a small.
"Thank you."
Followed.

The cameramen were somewhat disappointed when they realized that they would not be able to get Elizabeth's realtion to the backjard on film.
But when they instead caught the loving reunion with her family, all previous disappointment was  as if blown away.

Ian was first into his sister's arms and she held him as if she was afraid someone would tear the boy away from her. He was very excited to see his sister again, whom he now hade seen on TV many times, and that he would get to live in such a big house!

However he, to her dismay, let her go when she said he could choose any room he wanted upstairs, because then it was most important to choose the best room right away, and not talke to his sister.

But tears started streaming down her cheeks when she saw her parents, both crying, mom more than dad, but Elizabeth wasn't sure if she had ever seen her dad cry.

But when she was there, safe in their embrace, panicked floded her, only for a second, and she whispered, mostly to her father.
"Don't say anything stupid, we can take everything through tonight."

The president's words from the coronation had been ringing in her head, and she didn't know if it was because of the moment or if it was like that from the beginning, but suddenly they sounded more like a threat than a pleasant greeting. Just as if in 6 months he would get to see if she could play the roll of a lovely victor, and if she couldn't.

She shiversher at the thought and she immediately threw it as fare away as possible.
This was supposed to be a happy moment.
This was a happy moment.

~~~

The tune was nothing special. She read what was written on the cards with the victories and smiled. She actually smiled so much that her cheeks hurt.
All dinners were the same, all but one, the first in District 12.

First, there was only one winner out of twelve, Haymitch Abernathy, who by the way was an alcoholic.
Fun fact he had actually offered Elizabeth a drink, but everyone else around the table had freaked out. But to be honest, she didn't see the big deal, Finnick who was now 15 was allowed to drink, so why wasn't she!

But that wasn't what made the experience in twelve the best, it was only after dinner. As she sat outside on the steps of Haymitch's house, studying her surroundings. It looked the same as at home, except for the sea, there was no sea.

Haymitch had desided to kept her company on the stairs while the escorts talked to Mags and Finnick. He had held out a silver plunta to her, she had taken it, it tasted foul and burned her throat, but she took another sipp before handing it back to him.

Then, after what fealt like an eternity, he finaly broke the silence.
"You know what?"
"Probably not."
"I have nicknames for all the victors, every single one, but you in four, I just can't think of any!"
"Seriously?"
"Werry much seriously!"
"But it's so easy, I'm the witch--."
"No I don't mean the names you get from the capital! I have my own!" "Yeah, but if you think about it, mine fits."
"Why is that?"
"Because I answer all the hard questions whit I used a spells and I won my games with witch berries!" "Seriously?"
Shit, she'd forgotten she hadn't told anyone about the berries, but now it was too late to deny.
So instead of trying she just nodded.

"Okay, so witch works, but the others, I just can't think of anything, nothing unique anyway!"
"I can."
"Ohhh, enlighten me."
"Well.....Mags is the kind one, kind in like a grandma way."
Haymitch nodded in agreement.

"It works, she's never been anything but nice to me and she's old so it works."
Elizabeth smiled at the fact that he described Mags as old, but also becaus he agreed with her words before she continued
"And Finnick…."

She hesitated a bit, it wasn't the nicest things she could call the young boy, but it was the first thing that came to her mind.
"Finnick?"
"Finnick is a peacock."
Haymitch spat out the drink he had in his mouth and started to laugh. He laughed so hard he started coughing and Elizabeth almost got a little worried until he said.

"It's been a long time since someone made me laugh, but that, that's just perfect."
"Glad to know I was of help."
"You really were!"
She smiled a little, but before they could talk more it was time to go. It was the only dinner she really remembered, the only one that mattered and she knew now that Haymitch Abernathy was one of the victors she actually liked.
Yes, she could probably become good friends with the drunk from District 12 in all the years she would have to visit the capital.

Because that was something she hade forced herself to make peac whit, whether she wanted to or not, she would have to visit the capital at least once every year.
For now she was a victor, and soon enough, she would be a mentor.