𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫, Finnick Odair

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑮𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒕

The boy from District 11 emerged from the darkness, his eyes wide with fear and exhaustion. Before Aphrodite could even blink, Venus had already hurled a dagger straight into his chest. The blade hit its mark with terrifying precision, and the boy crumpled to the ground, dead before his body hit the forest floor.

Aphrodite felt a wave of disgust roll through her. She swallowed hard, trying to suppress the churning in her stomach, but she understood. This was survival. She couldn't afford to falter now. Not here.

Ash, however, tensed visibly beside her, his knuckles white as he gripped his weapon tighter. His gaze shifted from the boy's lifeless body to Venus, his expression hard. "Are you proud of yourself?" he asked, his voice low but laced with anger.

Venus, her breathing still steady, turned slowly toward him, her eyes flashing with annoyance. "Excuse me?" she snapped, her voice sharp. "You think I wanted this? You think I'm some kind of monster?" She took a step forward, her posture defiant. "I'm a kid just like you, Ash. We're all trying to survive. Or have you forgotten where we are?"

Aphrodite stepped between them, her heart racing. "Ash, calm down," she urged, trying to ease the rising tension. "We have bigger things to worry about right now."

But Ash wasn't having it. His anger flared, and before Aphrodite could stop him, he spat out, "You pretend to care, but all I see is a self-serving coward who hides behind manipulation."

Hearing that made guilt swell in Aphrodite's stomach. He doesn't even release I manipulated people as well and it killed four people.

Venus froze the fire in her eyes suddenly dimming as she stared at him in silence. For a moment, Aphrodite thought she might explode with rage, but instead, Venus's lips curled into a slow, deliberate smirk. She glanced at Aphrodite, then back at Ash, her expression unreadable.

The smirk she wore wasn't one of amusement—it was a warning, sharp and dangerous. Without a word, Venus turned away, leaving Ash's bitter words hanging in the air.

Aphrodite felt the weight of the moment settle over them. The tension between Ash and Venus had officially crossed a line, and she wasn't sure how or when it would snap back.

As the shadows grew longer and the forest around them began to darken, Aphrodite felt a growing sense of urgency. "We need to find shelter," she urged, scanning their surroundings for any sign of a suitable place to rest for the night.

Venus nodded, her earlier nonchalance replaced by a serious demeanour. "There's a clearing up ahead. We can set up there," she suggested, pointing to a faint break in the trees.

Ash, still simmering from his earlier confrontation with Venus, didn't bother to respond. He trudged ahead, clearly agitated, and Aphrodite felt the weight of the tension between them as they moved deeper into the forest. The sounds of the woods shifted from chirping crickets to the eerie rustling of leaves, creating an unsettling atmosphere.

When they finally reached the clearing, it was small and surrounded by thick underbrush. The last rays of sunlight struggled to penetrate the dense canopy above, casting long shadows on the ground.

"This will have to do," Aphrodite said, her voice firm. She quickly started gathering sticks and branches to create a makeshift barrier around their camp. Ash remained silent, still brooding, while Venus leaned against a nearby tree, arms crossed, watching them both with a keen gaze.

Once they finished, they huddled together in the small space, the cool air settling in as darkness enveloped them. Aphrodite could feel the chill creeping into her bones, and she wrapped her arms around herself, trying to maintain warmth.