oceandust + finnick odair

"Humanity desires entertainment to remain pacified- television, parties, gossip magazines, literature. They are useful devices, when regulated." Snow watches me, interpreting my silence as disagreement. "You do not agree." He states.

"Literature has clearly not been regulated effectively. It still exists. The human condition, though flawed, is persistent. You cannot control every aspect of their lives."

-

Reverie Bloom became a tribute at age 17. She had wanted to become a teacher in the coming years- she wasn't a fighter. But no one volunteers to take her place, and so, she leaves behind a sick brother and a heartbroken mother. She was old enough, and frankly, disposable.

Reverie Bloom becomes a victor at age 17. She is no longer disposable. In hindsight, she considers this her first mistake. Dying would have been the easier route.

Being a victor requires sacrifices- giving up your morality, your pride, your peace of mind, your privacy. It means pretending to be someone you're not, or someone you're scared to be come. Serving as a model citizen for the people of Panem, there is no room for error. Any hint of disobedience is snuffed out before it can spark into a flame. There were plenty of examples to pick and choose from, and Reverie knew none of the outcomes were particularly pretty.

But Reverie Bloom has little left to lose.

And Finnick Odair thinks she's brilliant for that.

Reverie's love for education is bogged down by the knowledge that she is raising future tributes, future TV deaths and murderers for entertainment. She teaches kids to read and write, but the content is shallow praises for the Capitol. It is meaningless. Everything after the Games is meaningless.

Finnick tells her it isn't.

And it somehow changes everything.

tw: mental health, alcohol/substance use, some violence, profanity