𝙰𝚜𝚜𝚊𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚗 ⟢ 𝙵𝚒𝚗𝚗𝚒𝚌𝚔 𝙾𝚍𝚊𝚒𝚛

- ֆɨӼ

April 4th. Two months until the reaping. With each passing day, Willa just grew more and more stressed. She kept telling herself that there were four other people that could get reaped besides her. But no matter how she looked at it, it was stressful for her. The most stressful situation? Her herself got reaped. But even if she didn't, the risk of losing one of her friends was stressful. That day, she was spending time with Asher. Asher Pierce, winner of the 73rd Hunger Games, was 19. He won his games at 17 and was the only victor of District 2 who was younger than Willa. She mentored him, along with the other victors. However, Asher grew closest to Willa seeing as they were the closest in age.

The two of them were sat in Willa's backyard, cloud gazing. It was a friendly thing to them. They didn't like each other romantically and they never would.

"Thank you for being friends with me," Asher quietly said. Despite his appearance and strength, Asher was a pretty quiet person. He looked intimidating, he was strong, and he was an excellent fighter. Naturally, people would assume his personality would match that.

"Of course, I'm friends with you. You don't have to thank me," Willa told him. Along with Katia, Asher was also her best friend. She felt the need to protect him.

"It's hard to know know who to trust," Asher sighed.

"Even with the victors?" she asked, turning her head to look at him.

"Especially with the victors," Asher said. Willa didn't say anything for a while. She just stared up at the sky, watching the clouds drift slowly. The air was still and peaceful, a sharp contrast to the chaos that constantly brewed inside her.

"Sometimes I feel like I'm not different at all," she admitted. "I'm scared, Asher. More scared than I let anyone see. What if it's me again? What if it's you again?"

"I doubt I'd get sent back in. But even if they did... I'd rather it be me than anyone else," Asher said quietly. Willa's heart twisted at his words. She knew what he meant. If he went back, at least he'd be prepared. He'd already survived the worst and so did she. But that didn't make it easier to accept. She didn't want to lose him.

"No," she said firmly. "I won't let them take you. Or Katia. Or anyone else I care about."

"And who's going to stop them, Willa? You?" Asher turned his head to look at her finally, his gaze steady. Willa's eyes met his, and for the first time, there was no playfulness between them. Just raw, unspoken fear. She didn't have an answer. She wished she did. The two of them fell into silence, the weight of the impending Reaping settling heavily between them. Willa closed her eyes, listening to the soft rustling of the wind through the trees. For now, they were safe. But that safety was fragile, and Willa knew it could be ripped away at any moment. Asher shifted beside her, and she felt his hand brush hers, a small gesture of comfort. He didn't say anything, and he didn't need to. Sometimes, just knowing someone else was there—someone who understood—was enough.

⊱ ۫ ׅ ✧

"Did you have a good time with Asher?" Katia softly asked as she stepped back into the kitchen. She had just put the kids to bed, and Willa was standing at the sink, methodically washing the dishes. The soft hum of running water filled the room, but it did little to cover the heavy silence that had settled between them. Willa looked up at the redhead, her eyes tired and distant. The stress had been wearing on her for weeks, and it showed in the circles beneath her eyes, the way her shoulders slumped slightly as if carrying an invisible weight.

"Yeah," Willa hummed in response, her voice lacking its usual warmth. Katia leaned against the doorway, arms crossed, just watching her for a moment. She noticed the small things, the way Willa's hands moved slower than usual, her knuckles tight around the sponge as though scrubbing the dishes was the only thing keeping her together.

"You can go rest, lovey. I can finish up here. You've had a long day," Katia said gently, pushing off from the doorframe. She stepped closer, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. But Willa shook her head, not looking up from the dishes.

"It's okay. Thank you, though," she said quietly, her voice soft but firm. She was stubborn like that, always pushing herself to keep going, even when it was clear she needed a break - especially with the past weeks she's had. Katia watched her for a moment longer, biting her lip. She could see Willa was barely holding it together, but she also knew better than to push. Willa was the kind of person who needed to feel in control, even when everything around her seemed to be falling apart.

"You don't always have to do everything yourself, you know. It's okay to let someone else take care of things for a bit."" Katia said softly, stepping closer.

"I know... but you already do so much... and you don't like cleaning," Willa murmured, but the way her hands moved, scrubbing the same plate over and over again, told a different story. Katia sighed and walked over to the counter, grabbing a towel to dry the dishes Willa had already cleaned. She didn't say anything else, just worked alongside her, offering silent support in the way she knew Willa would appreciate. After a few minutes, the silence became more comfortable, less tense. Willa glanced over at Katia, her movements slowing as she spoke.

"I don't know why I feel so tired all the time," Willa whispered. Katia looked at her, her expression soft with understanding.

"You've been carrying a lot lately, Willa. It's no wonder you're exhausted," Katia said. Willa set the dish she was cleaning down, leaning against the sink, her arms crossed over her chest.

"It's just... everything feels like too much sometimes. I'm supposed to be the strong one, but I don't feel strong at all," Willa's eyes seemed more distant. Katia put the towel down and stepped closer to Willa, gently placing a hand on her arm.

"You are strong," she said, her voice steady and sure. "But that doesn't mean you have to handle everything alone. You've got me, you've got Asher. You've got people who care about you."

"What if it's not enough?" she whispered. Katia's grip on Willa's arm tightened slightly, a grounding presence.

"We'll face it together," she said softly. "Whatever happens, we'll face it together," Katia reassured the girl. For a moment, Willa said nothing, her gaze still fixed on the sink, but the tension in her shoulders eased just a little. She nodded, a small, almost imperceptible movement, but enough for Katia to see that her words had reached her. Deep down, she knew Katia couldn't help her if she was in the arena. But she didn't want to think of that.

"Now, why don't we finish these dishes and then sit down for a bit? You could use a break," Katia smiled gently, brushing her hand against Willa's in a quiet gesture of comfort before picking up the towel again. Willa hesitated for a moment, then nodded again. And so, they continued in silence, but this time it wasn't heavy or strained. It was the kind of silence that comes from understanding, from knowing that even in the hardest moments, they weren't alone.