𝔸𝕤𝕤𝕒𝕤𝕤𝕚𝕟 ⟢ 𝔽𝕚𝕟𝕟𝕚𝕔𝕜 𝕆𝕕𝕒𝕚𝕣

- ʄɨʄȶɛɛռ

"The Capitol loves you, Willa. You'll be set with sponsors and the two of you are the favorites to win. The other half of your alliance, Cashmere and Gloss. Also Capitol favorites. You guys will be lethal. District 3, Wiress and Beetee. Brilliant but not fighters. They're extremely tech-savvy. He won his games by electrocuting six tributes at once. The morphlings, masters of camouflage. Basically won their games by hiding until everyone else was dead. Self medicating ever since which I applaud. Not a threat," Enobaria told the two. Enobaria and Asher were pacing in front of them as the other District's tributes flashed on the screen.

"Finnick," Willa smiled as District 4's reaping ceremony came on. Willa only let her feelings about Finnick show in front of people from her own district. She didn't dare show them in front of others. She didn't want people to use them against her.

"You guys are on Finnick's good side and vice versa. I don't know if he'll ally with you guys but he won't hurt you. Finnick's strong but he has two weaknesses. One is Mags, she volunteered for Annie. She mentored him and he'll want to keep her alive. The other is Willa. He'll want to make sure that you're safe at all times, he wants you to get out alive. But while you're one of his weaknesses, you're also one of his strengths," Asher said, explaining the situation.

"Mags," Willa murmured. She loved Mags but basically everyone knew she wouldn't make it out. She was 80 fighting against people who were much younger than her.

"I would try to get the two of them in your alliance. They're careers too," Enobaria said.

"But someone like Mags isn't going to make it far," Brutus argued.

"But Finnick can help us," Willa snipped. Willa didn't want to cause a fight but she was terrified of dying. She wanted as much help as possible.

"Just talk to him tonight. Try to get him to help you guys," Asher butted in. He didn't want Willa to die either. He needed her still. The Tribute Parade was that afternoon anyways. It would give Willa enough time to talk to him.

⊱ ۫ ׅ ✧

Willa never liked being one of the Capitol favorites. She may have done a few things here and there that didn't sit well with Snow but she still had an overall positive impression on the Capitol. But it caused her to always present perfectly. Hence why her stylist, Vesper, made sure she was dressed in something that resembled both that and her district. Both Willa and Brutus were dress in silver metallic-like clothing. Covering her torso was armor-like material decorated with various gems and chains. The rest of the dress was made of gray sheer-like material that flowed down to her ankles. Silver and gold were forced onto her after winning her games. Whenever she was made to make a public appearance in the Capitol, no matter the occasion, she would be seen in silver or gold outfits. This was no different. Her hair was left straight in a double braid half-up half-down hairstyle. It got her hair out of her face while still giving her the elegant look she needed to portray.

"Willa," the voice of the man she wanted so desperately to see called. Willa looked over her shoulder, a small smile tugging at her lips as she saw him. Willa excused herself from Gloss and Cashmere as Brutus approached them and went to the blonde.

"Finnick," she said, her stomach fluttering. Willa felt the weight of her gown and armor-like dress settle over her shoulders as she approached Finnick. He stood out among the others, his golden hair catching the light, his eyes bright yet guarded. It was a look she'd come to recognize—the Capitol's beloved heartthrob, the ever-smiling victor from District 4, hiding a depth that only those close to him ever saw.

Finnick Odair, a fellow victor bound by the Capitol's strings just as she was. For a brief moment, she let herself feel the warmth of his presence, a reprieve from the harsh stares and fawning Capitol sycophants surrounding them. He reached out, his fingers brushing hers, an almost invisible gesture that spoke volumes in their world of hidden messages.

"You look... stunning," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. His gaze flicked over her dress, taking in the metallic sheen, the gems glinting on her armor, and her elegant braids. "Willa Levine, all dressed up for the Capitol."

There was a hint of irony in his tone, a quiet acknowledgment of the role she was forced to play. Willa managed a small smile, one that she saved for rare moments like this, and shrugged lightly.

"The Capitol loves their symbols," she replied. "I'm just another one of their prized pieces."

Finnick's eyes darkened, a flicker of understanding passing between them. They both knew too well what it was to be molded by the Capitol's demands, to be polished and placed on a pedestal for everyone to admire while hiding scars underneath. Willa's eyes flickered back to her predetermined allies. She didn't want to be allied with them, she wanted to be with Finnick.

"Ally with us... please," Willa murmured, making sure only he heard. The District 4 tributes were... weird about who they allied with. They were Careers technically but didn't always ally with the ones from 1 and 2.

"I can't promise that, sweetheart," Finnick quietly answered. Willa's expression faltered for a moment, enough for Finnick to notice. Did he not want to ally with her and simply didn't want to hurt her feelings? Finnick's gaze softened as he noticed the flicker of doubt in Willa's eyes. He sighed, casting a quick glance over his shoulder to make sure no one was listening too closely. The Capitol loved secrets, but it loved to expose them even more, and anything they said could be twisted into another layer of control over them.

"It's not that simple, Willa," he murmured, just loud enough for her to hear. "You know the alliances aren't always ours to choose." His fingers hovered near hers, almost as if he wanted to take her hand but held himself back. "Mags and I have a role to play, just like you do. I wish it were different."

She nodded, understanding but still feeling the sting of it. She'd spent so long in this gilded cage of the Capitol's design, caught between her desire to rebel against it and her fear of the consequences. The thought of navigating the arena without him was daunting. They'd both seen the worst of it before, but somehow, with Finnick, she'd thought things could be... different.

"I understand," Willa said, her voice a little rougher than she intended. She took a step back, forcing herself to breathe. "I just... thought you'd want the same thing as me. But I guess I was wrong."

Finnick looked away, the regret etched into his face cutting Willa more deeply than any of his words had. He ran a hand through his golden hair, a gesture she recognized as his way of holding back what he truly wanted to say.

"Willa," he said finally, his voice barely above a whisper. She knew the Capitol had twisted the lives of all victors, but somehow, she'd still held onto a foolish hope that they could find a way to escape its iron grip, even if just for a moment. She reached up, lightly touching the silver chain draped over her shoulder, her fingertips brushing the cold, heavy metal.

"Leave it. I already lost my family... I just don't want to lose you too," Willa said and with that, she retreated back to her forced alliance. They didn't get her like Finnick did and he knew that. Finnick watched as Willa retreated, her shoulders set with the weight of resignation. His heart twisted as he saw her rejoin the others, slipping back into the role the Capitol had assigned her: the stoic, beautiful victor, adorned in silver and armor, every bit the Capitol's perfect symbol of triumph and survival. He hated seeing her this way, caught between strength and vulnerability, carrying a loneliness he understood all too well.

Willa felt the stifling weight of the Capitol's expectations settle heavily around her. Her fingers brushed against the cold metal of her gown, feeling the sharp edges of the gems encrusted on her bodice. Each jewel and chain was meticulously chosen by her stylist to reflect District 2, to make her look powerful, unbreakable, a prized victor. Yet they felt like shackles, reminders of the Capitol's grip on her life. Finnick made her feel human in times like this. But her allies in a time like this? They just saw her as the persona the Capitol forced on her.