Promises - Finnick Odair Imagine (Part 1)
Finnick Odair and Sirena Nighthart both won their respective Hunger Games at age 14. Both from District 4. Finnick and Sirena both grow up in the Capitol, though keeping their distance from each other. What happens when both get reaped at the Quarter Quell for the 75th Hunger Games?
"Sirena! Sirena! Look over here!" A reporter calls as she turns her body to face yet another camera flash. Even after 9 years of being in the spotlight, she doesn't think that she will ever get used to this.
Sirena flashes another big smile at everyone and gets guided up the steps to the stage. Nobody in the audience would be able to tell that she's sweating bullets, but she's never been this scared in her life.
Not since the games at least.
As she approaches the stage, she sees Finnick Odair standing there by himself. He's the only male tribute alive to have won from District 4, so he already knows he will be participating in the 75th Hunger Games.
Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark won the most recent games. The 74th annual Hunger Games, but ever since then the rioting has gotten worse. President Snow realizes that and he also realizes that Katniss is a symbol of hope to those who are suffering.
Sirena was surprised to learn that President Snow allowed two victors, but the two of them managed to sell their love story so well that she supposes the rules were changed.
She was only 14 when she won the 66th annual Hunger Games, so she has been in the spotlight for many many years now. Her heart races as people surround her and say hello from every direction. She smiles and greets every person, but underneath she is always terrified.
The cameras are on her and the crowds of people from her district look up at the victors with pride.
It's easy to put up a front for the people, but they don't realize how it is all a fraud. "Well well well, Sirena Nighthart," an all-too-familiar cocky voice says,
"Finnick Odair," she says with a forced smile as he offers her a hand as she walks up the steps. Both are past victors from District 4, so they have crossed paths many times since they were just children. Finnick and Sirena won back-to-back games, both to be the youngest victors Panem has ever seen.
They keep conversations light and casual whenever they get to see each other in the public eye, but both know each other's secrets. Of course, he never directly told her, but it's hard to both exist in the Capitol and not know about the prostitution he was forced into.
The only reason she wasn't forced into the same situation is that President Snow wanted to keep her image to the public as 'pure' and 'innocent'. It's a joke. An innocent little girl who murdered 9 people.
She knows that she is Snow's pride and joy, though it makes her sick.
Sirena stands on the other side of the stage beside Mags, her old mentor, and Annie Cresta. Annie won a few years after Sirena did, bringing even more joy to District 4 than Finnick and herself already had.
Her heart beats out of her chest. Hardly surviving the first games alone, she doesn't know how it's possible to make it through once again for a second time. Especially against opponents who have all won in the past.
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"The male tribute from District 4...Finnick Odair," the announcer says and Sirena closes her eyes, feeling nauseous. "And the female tribute to represent District 4..."
Everyone watches the small piece of paper be plucked from the bowl, thus deciding her fate,
"Sirena Nighthart," The crowd roars in excitement and more cameras flash her way, and she flashes a smile. It is the most forced smile she's ever done. It is taking every ounce of strength not to start sobbing.
Finnick walks over to her, also having his usual cocky smirk plastered on his face. He takes her hand and raises it into the air as the crowd cheers more. She is trying so so hard to not let her body shake right now, He continues to smile but then gives her hand a reassuring squeeze.
Immediately a pair of hands lead her body away from the stage and to the train. It doesn't matter anyway...being an orphan and having no family to say farewell to. The guards push Sirena and Finnick onto the train and the doors shut once they're fully in.
"Looks like Snow finally upped his creativity level," Finnick says to her with a smirk as the guards lead them to another room, but she doesn't return the smile, "This isn't like the last time. Last time we were all nervous teenagers, now we're fighting skilled victors. Some of which are our friends," She says,
"Good. Makes it more fun," he grins confidently and walks away down to the other end of the train. Her stomach churns in fear as she walks in the opposite direction to the couch at the back of the train.
As she sits there she checks to see what other Victors have been chosen to fight in the 75th Hunger Games. The older ones will be easy enough, but the most recent ones are a scary thought to her. She learned a long time ago to trust nobody but herself.
The train gets to the Capitol faster than she would've preferred.
She gets off the train with Finnick somewhere behind her. Making this into a joke is exactly what she should've expected from him, and honestly, she doesn't know how he manages to put up that front with their lives on the line.
They silently enter the vehicles that take them to the towers where the tributes are all staying. This is when the real show begins. Sirena's known all these people personally for years and has never seemed like a threat to any of them because she didn't need to.
Now she needs to.
They walk into the building and suddenly are surrounded by people they know. What she's noticed consistently are cameras. The stage, the train, the cars, and now here in this building. There are video cameras in every single place they've stepped foot. This is nothing new for either of them, knowing that Snow is watching each and every move they both make.
Finnick walks a distance behind her, not that it matters since they'll be staying in the same suite anyway.
They enter their respective bedrooms without a word.