{ distractedsecrets }
Flames everywhere. No one could stop, it was already too much. He knew who was in there, he knew who he left behind last time he left and now—-now they were all gone because of one mistake, one time he did not wish to leave and they forced him to. Thus a flame sparked a murder of a family. Finnick Odair looked onto the flames right when he stepped out of the train, when did it start? His feet taking him to the full scene, screams, unsure of if they were from other individuals or the pained loved ones inside. His eyes began to water both from the sparks and smoke as well as the pain he felt from this happening. He did not even need to guess who all was over there, did not need to think about all of the possibilities, he already knew. Already knew who was there and the knowledge of such, was slowly crushing him inside. It seemed no one recognized him, usually he would stray away from any crowd or the town itself because he was still wearing his Capitol clothes that he left in and his hair and make-up smeared but still there. His mouth opened, dry and there was nothing he could do, no emotions at that very moment. Finnick Odair never showed emotions—-in public. He felt like a child, the way he ran away from the scene as he had done before when his father was beat for disobeying the laws the Peacekeepers held. He ran and did not look back, only stumbling once. His breathing becoming harder, heavier, oxygen not properly going into his body. Once he reached his home, now silent, no bodies to make it warm, he stood at the door for a few moments before carrying himself up the stairs to his bedroom, curling up and that was when he let it all out, all the tears and pain he felt from what he had seen. His family, all of them, gathered at his Uncle’s house and now—dead. He only prayed that Annie and Mags, individuals so close to his family and him, were not also there, if so—-then he was alone. Someone was alive, he could hear the faint shut of a door through his sobs and felt the presence of them walking up the stairs and standing at the door frame for a hesitating second. “The house burned down.” The words were not to tell them, Finnick was sure they already knew what happened, it was in the middle of District Four that it took place. No, the words were a repetition of telling himself that it actually happened, that he did lose his family, did become the only Odair left in District Four.
District Four was usually quiet. Annie liked it that way. The peace and the calm of the District was something that she found most pleasant, but today was different. The smoke from the house fire could probably be seen for miles, it was so high. Part of her wanted to follow it to see just what was burning so fiercely, but at the same time she wanted to stay away for her own safety.
Her curiosity won out and she carefully made her way towards the source of the fire. And what she saw upon her arrival broke her heart. She knew the house relatively well. The Odair family. Since her Victory they had become like her own family, and for all she knew they were trapped inside with no way to escape.
Did Finnick know? Was he back in the District to know? Was he inside too? She panicked and before she could stop herself, she ran towards Victor’s Village, calling his name as she ran and receiving particularly judgemental looks as she did so.
Out of breath, she stopped at his front door. It was open, so he was home from the Capitol and the faint sound of crying told Annie that he knew. Trying to keep quiet, she stepped into the house and closed the door behind her before going upstairs towards the heartbreak.
She needed to keep her head, to not breakdown so she could be there for him so before she entered his room, she took a few deep breaths to allow herself to keep calm.
He knew she was there, she wasn’t sure if he knew that it was her, but he knew someone was there.
“I know. I saw. Finnick I’m so sorry. Is there anything I can do?”
