Black Widow - A Hunger Games Fanfic

Chapter 9: Safe

2 years before

Ava looked in the mirror and fixed her red lipstick, not giving the lifeless body on the bed behind her a second thought. She picked up her black coat, slipping it on, before letting herself out of the room. There was a car waiting for her outside of the hotel building as usual. A Peacekeeper opened the door for her and Ava got in. The Peacekeeper took the front passenger seat next to the driver before they made their way to the President's mansion. It was an hour-long drive, so Ava put her head back and closed her eyes, hoping to get some sleep. She knew after tonight she wouldn't be able to sleep for at least a week. It was the usual routine.

It was late, around three in the morning, when Ava arrived at the mansion. She made her way down the dimly lit hallways to the bed chamber she always goes to after a mission. She didn't knock and let herself in. She knew he was waiting for her. He always was after a job.

Coriolanus Snow was already in bed, but he was wide awake, reading a book. When Ava walked in, he smiled and looked up at her.

"Everything went smoothly as always?" he asked her.

Ava handed him bodycam she was always instructed to wear on jobs, for proof or insurance, "As always," she replied.

He took the camera and told her, "Good, good. Shall we celebrate then?"

Ava turned away from him to walk over to his liquor collection to pour his usual. At that point, she shut her mind down. She knew what the night held and as always, she separated her mind from her body to the best of her abilities. It made it easier, at least for the moment.

She returned to Snow with two glasses of whiskey, and while Snow took a sip, Ava threw it back. He watched her, chuckling, before Ava started undressing. Meanwhile, Snow walked over to a chest at the foot of his bed and opened it. Ava got in bed and watched him pick out his weapon of choice to start with for the night.

Ava woke up to maids cleaning up. She caught one's arm and asked, "What time is it?"

"Five in the morning, miss..." she replied hesitantly.

Ava knew better than to get up too quickly. She was in pain so she slowly tried to sit up. She saw the dried blood all over the bedsheets. It was normal. She just worried about her face, and other areas that were visible. After missions, she remained a few days at the President's manor to recover, so no one asked questions when she left. But even then, when she returned to District 4, she would still be bruised up, so she remained in the confines of her home and let her brother know she was home days later. She was sure he noticed her flinch or wince in pain or saw her faint bruises, but Adam never questioned her and she appreciated her brother for that. She would have no idea what to tell him.

The maids didn't rush Ava. They did what they could and left. She knew they would be back to change the sheets and clean the bed when she stepped out. Ava carefully made her way to the en suite bathroom. She ached in pain with every step. That was normal too.

In the bathroom, Ava immediately reached for the medicine cabinet and found her pain killers. They were high dose so they usually numbed her quickly and for a while. Then she looked at herself in the mirror. Her lip was swollen and there was a cut across her cheek. Her wrists and arms were bruised badly. She didn't even want to look down.

Ava took a hot shower, cleaned off the blood stains, and washed away the night the best she could. Then she got dressed in a new night dress and robe before making her way down to the kitchens. She asked a kitchen worker for a pack of ice and seeing her face, the worker listened right away without asking questions.

Ava was returning to her room with the hood of her robe on and didn't see the person who suddenly came around the corner. The ice pack in her hand fell out as they bumped into each other and Ava winced in pain, retreating backwards and a pair of hands reach other to steady her. But she wouldn't let him touch her, mainly due to the bruises on her arms he couldn't see.