Tear It Apart⇸Finnick Odair [2]

10

Smooth and incredibly soft, there was a wonderful feeling to the vibrant red velvet that connected her two wrists like a shash, attached to two cuffs and threaded behind her back. It was the only colour that they had dressed her in aside from the dashes of makeup they had used to try and cover the deep dark circles and sunken lines of malnourishment. She had to give them credit for having tried to hide the signs of poor health and torture, but Terra could barely recognize herself in the mirror. She was so thin now, skin pulling taunt over her sharp edges and it looked so dead, sickly.

Her hair, much cleaner than before, was dry despite the products and pulled up into the twin buns on top her head.

The top was small, shirt sleeves hanging off to reveal her shoulders, the top revealing a sliver of her stomach while her pants puffed out and cinched at the bottom. It was the worst of the outfits she had ever worn but it was the only one that they had for her that covered all the abuse, as they had told her. Terra hated how it looked on her, how it made her look as though she might belong in the Capitol with clothes that would never fit in among the districts, more so with the completely white, completely clean appearance.

She fingered the red collar around her throat, a mockery of one of her districts traditions, and the little bell that had been attached there, golden and shining.

Guards came in and began to shove her along, making sure not to touch her too long and she made sure to drag her feet just to bother them.

She knew she had to do it but that didn't mean she had to enjoy it. Her stylists had given her hope that maybe there would be a chance for something better, a chance for them to get away, to leave for something better. If the Capitol had people willing to help them, to harbour them, than maybe there could be hope for them to arrange for their freedom now that her stylists had seen what was being done - and she hoped, that maybe, the rest of the Capitol would feel the same about saving them after seeing the way that she and Peeta looked.

Because she could see him now, eyes sunken and a twitch to him, a nervous tick and wild, almost crazed gleam in his eyes. His suit was all white, matching her own, and his tie, bordered by a sharp, spiked looking collar, was a vibrant red to match her, the only spot of colour.

Terra didn't understand the fashion choice but as they were both lead inside and directed to sit in elevated chairs with a metal foot rest attached,  and she spotted Presideny Snow being escorted away dressed all in white with a red rose tucked into his clothes, it all suddenly made more sense.

Egeria came to stand before them, a smug little grin pulling at her lips thag sent a shiver down her spine. She could imagine the way the blood would spurt from her throat if he slashed at it, how it would feel warm over her fingers. She didn't think she would feel guilty about this one, not when she could see thd sheer joy reflected in her eyes as she beheld what bad shape they were in.

"You are to highlight the damage done to the districts, plead for a cease-fire on a united front," they're instructed and the woman's smile widens at their frozen, attentive state. "Hold hands if you must, present a united front, cry. Do not let anything slip."

She's gone as soon as she's arrived and there's a crew this time with a monitor directing them on what to say, words highlighting the screen, glowing bright in the dark section of the room. Guards stand around them, just off screen out of sight like these looming figures that were enough of a threat to keep them in line.

The Capitol's athem played and she stilled, clasping Peeta's hand tightly with her own as he began a speech about cease-fire and damage. Something about a water tower in 7, a derailed train, a bombing to a water purification plant.

The image is sudden, shocking, and Peeta's flinching away from her, blinking at the scene of Katniss standing on top a pile of rubble.

It's gone almost as soon and Peeta sits there, distracted, and Terra could see people waving for her attention in the background.