y'all can u fucking imagine the intense grief that finnick likely felt when he realized in the 75th games that katniss and peeta were actually in love with each other? the way the realization of their situation must have dawned on him? bc it's one thing to pretend to be in love and be targeted because it's not believable, but another entirely to truly be in love and be targeted anyway (to be targeted because of it).
finnick knows exactly how the capitol functions. he knows that the two of them have no choice but to be in love. but finnick also knows that loving things and people as a victor is cruelty at its best and torture at its worst. he knows the fear that comes with being in love and the exploitation one suffers because of it. so he watches two people (who love another victor like he does) who have been subjected to the same torture, the same story, the same systemic evil as he has, love each other because of it AND in spite of it. who are younger than him but are following in familiar footsteps. who suffer for and because of each other.
imagine the way grief settles over him at the realization that they love each other and he knows it will never be enough for snow. that the cycle continues. the way he realizes that it's all true and that somehow, that's a worse fate.
