𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫, Finnick Odair

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒐𝒚

Aphrodite walked away from the place that had once been their safe haven, feeling as if she'd left a piece of herself behind with Ash. Numbness crept over her, thick and consuming, cushioning her from the pain she expected but didn't feel. She couldn't bring herself to pull the knife from his side. Her only weapon, left behind. She hadn't thought twice about it, hadn't paused to reconsider. She just walked, leaving him there, leaving everything behind for the Capitol to collect. The thought barely even registered in her mind.

The forest around her blurred as she moved through it, her footsteps automatic, like she was watching herself from far away. There was nothing to think, nothing to feel — only silence and the quiet crunch of leaves underfoot. It wasn't long before her solitude was interrupted by a frantic rustling nearby, followed by the pounding of feet barreling straight toward her.

She turned, bracing herself instinctively, but her limbs felt leaden. The District 8 boy came crashing through the foliage, his face twisted in panic, his eyes wild. He stopped short when he saw her, holding up his hands.

"Wait!" he gasped, chest heaving as he struggled to catch his breath. "Aphrodite, it's me! It's... it's part of the plan."

She lowered her hands slightly, staring at him blankly, trying to force herself back into the present moment. He was right. She did remember him — he'd been part of a loose alliance, a fleeting arrangement made in whispers during training. But it felt like a lifetime ago.

He glanced behind him, clearly shaken. "I did what you asked. I spread lies to make them suspicious of each other, and it worked. They turned on each other. Ridge... is still alive. If I hadn't slipped away, he'd have killed me." His voice trembled, and she could see the terror lingering in his gaze. "I got away only just this morning. I thought I'd be dead by now."

Aphrodite stared at him, piecing together the fractured images in her mind, seeing for the first time just how close she was to the end. Ridge was still out there, ruthless and dangerous —  only a few tributes left standing between her and victory. And then, of course, there was the boy in front of her. Her gaze lingered on him, noting the raw desperation and exhaustion in his face. He wasn't her friend; he was just another loose end. She'd come too far to let sentiment get in the way now.

A plan formed in her mind, simple and devastating. She could manipulate him, use him to track Ridge down and play on his fear to bind his loyalty to her. And then, at the last moment, she'd strike, ending him before he realized what was happening. It was brutal, ruthless. Exactly what she needed.

She allowed herself a small, reassuring smile, softening her expression as she stepped toward him. "Thank you," she said quietly, trying to infuse her voice with warmth. "You did well. We're close now, so close to the end... We just need to find Ridge together, finish this, and then..." She let the words hang, leaving him to fill in the rest. A future, survival, maybe even a slim chance at freedom — whatever he wanted, she'd let him hope for it.

He gave her a quick nod, determination hardening his face. "You're right. I'll stick with you. We'll get him together."

As he started to lead the way, Aphrodite allowed herself a small, secret smile.

Aphrodite and the District 8 boy, who introduced himself as Heath, trudged through the undergrowth in tense silence. Every step felt heavier, not only from the lack of food and sleep but from the new alliance resting uneasily between them. Heath was lean, with dark eyes that scanned their surroundings constantly, yet there was an intensity to him that Aphrodite sensed had kept him alive this long.

Aphrodite found herself watching him, calculating, her mind turning over her plan like a stone in her hand. Trust wasn't something she could afford—not after Venus's betrayal, not when Ridge was still out there. And certainly not when only a few tributes remained.