It didn't take long for Bellona and Festus to reach the zoo, sadly joined by a few of their other classmates.

Instantly, Bellona began to depart from the group, dragging Festus along as she noticed Mizzen with his district partner, Coral, by the gate.

"Mizzen! Long time no see," Bellona greeted the boy, handing both him and Coral a sandwich that she'd stolen through the fence.

Mizzen took it with little thought but Coral seemed to be a little more weary, only taking it when she noticed Mizzen taking a bite.

"You owe me a story," Mizzen exclaimed after he took another bite of the sandwiches. Bellona took one look at a frustrated Festus and resistant Coral before turning back to Mizzen.

Good. They were too busy with their staredown to be listening.

"Fine. Sit down. It's a long story," Bellona joked, getting on the ground herself as Mizzen looked at her in curiosity.

"Before the war, I lived in Two with my parents. I lived a pretty normal life, I guess. I went to school every day and learned to hunt with my dad. My dad always warned me about a war coming, but I didn't think much of it. But then, the bombings started and my neighborhood got hit. I wasn't home, but my parents were. At least I was told they were. I never even got to say goodbye," Bellona explained, starting with a smile before slowly fading away as she recounted her parent's death.

"But how did you end up in the Capitol? Did a Capitol family adopt you or something?" Mizzen asked, leaning in curiously. Bellona let out a chuckle at that. No Capitol family would adopt District 'scum'.

"I stayed with my friend, Sejanus, over there for a while," Bellona answered, pointing toward Sejanus, who was trying to get Marcus's attention.

"He's from Two as well. We stayed in Two for a while actually. Until the war ended. Sejanus's father made a lot of money doing something. I don't really care to know what. But I guess it was enough to win his family a ticket to the Capitol. And since I had nowhere else to go, they brought me along," Bellona explained, feeling odd to be talking about her 'father' as if he wasn't hers. She'd gotten so used to acting as if they were her family.

"I guess you lucked out then," Mizzen replied, a hint of bitterness in his tone. Bellona just smiled. His bitterness was understandable.

"I guess we can call it that," Bellona replied, looking at the ground for a moment. In many ways, Mizzen was right. Bellona had lucked out. She didn't have to worry about working or being reaped in the Hunger Games like everyone else in the Districts.

But her privilege didn't stop her from missing home.

"I miss it, you know. Two. I miss my parents and my school and my friends," Bellona muttered. She didn't know why she was explaining this all to the young boy, but it was nice to have someone who understood at least a little.

"I miss my family too," Mizzen admitted, an evident frown on his face, "The ones I lost in the war and the ones I left behind for the Games."

"Well, we're going to try everything to get you back to them," Bellona replied, hoping to ease the boy's pain as much as she could, "I promise you, I'll do everything to protect you in that arena."

Mizzen looked at Bellona with a look of shock for a moment before furrowing his brows.

"I don't need anyone's help. I can do it all on my own," Mizzen replied, sitting up straighter. Bellona smiled sweetly at that.

He was stubborn and headstrong. Just like she was.

"I know that," said Bellona, "But that's not gonna stop me from helping."

Mizzen didn't reply to that, turning his attention toward Coral, who had been begrudgingly talking with Festus. Well, their conversation didn't seem to be going well. Not that hers was going much better.

To the right of her, Bellona spotted Arachne playing with her tribute. Dangling food in front of her before ripping it away.

What an asshole. At least have some dignity.

Arachne's tribute seemed to be thinking the same thing, getting more agitated at each new 'trick'. And then, she finally snapped, reaching through the bars to grab the knife by Arachne's knife before stabbing it into her throat and spraying blood everywhere.

Bellona grimaced as some landed on her, wiping some off her cheek as she watched the scene unfold.

Instantly, Arachne reached around for some help, gesturing for Bellona with a panicked look on her face. But Bellona only ignored her, backing up before Arachne could touch her.

Soon, 'courageous' Coriolanus came swooping in as he desperately tried to save Arachne. There was no saving her. Bellona knew that for a fact. No point getting all bloody for nothing.

Everyone else seemed to scurry away in panic as Bellona watched Coriolanus try to bring Arachne back to life. And even more fled when the gunshots targeted at Arachne's tribute rang out.

"She's dead, Coriolanus," Bellona warned as the boy held a hand to her wound, "She hit her jugular. There's no surviving that."

Coriolanus turned to her with a look of shock on his face, confused about how she was so calm in a time like this. But before he could ask, he felt himself being whisked away from the body.

"Bellona," Sejanus called out from behind her, "We need to get out of here."

Sejanus didn't seem to be too affected by Arachne's death either, more worried about what would happen if he and Bellona stayed there too long. With one final look at the two bodies, Bellona complied, following Sejanus out as she left behind Arachne Crane.

-

The car ride home was much quieter than usual, but Bellona half expected that. What do you say after you just watched someone get murdered? Two people at that.

The house was not as quiet though. As soon as Bellona stepped into the door, Ma and Father came rushing to her side.

"Oh, Bellona, you're covered in blood," Ma muttered as she scanned over the girl, "Are you hurt? Is this your blood?"

Bellona shook her head, looking down at the few blood stains on her clothes. Arachne's she assumed. Or Brandy's? She couldn't be sure, honestly.

"I'm okay. It's not mine," Bellona muttered, calming a frantic Ma before walking into her balcony. She needed a cigarette.

-

Later that night, Bellona found herself pacing her living room as she tried to get herself to sleep. It wasn't like she cared about Arachne or what happened to her. But the hope she felt at the games possibly being canceled seemed to be keeping her up.

Everyone else in Panem seemed to be sleeping. Everyone except her and the person knocking on her front door. Why was someone at their door this late?

Puzzled, Bellona looked through the peephole before swinging the door open with a frown. Festus? Why was he here?

"What are you doing here so late?" Bellona asked as she glanced down at the boy's pajamas. Festus fumbled with his hands for a moment, seemingly shocked that Bellona had even opened the door.

"I couldn't sleep," Festus muttered, "And then I remembered that I didn't see you leave. And-"

"I'm fine, Festus," Bellona replied, examining the boy for a moment. It was clear he didn't come here just to check on Bellona, but she couldn't seem to close the door on him.

Festus's eyes were red and puffy and his hair was a mess, most likely from running his hands through it -- a habit of his when he was stressed. Usually, it made Bellona laugh, but tonight, it only made her feel bad.

"Why don't you come in?" Bellona suddenly asked, surprising even herself, "I can make us some tea."

"No. That's okay, I didn't mean to intrude," Festus mumbled, eyes puffy as he went to walk away. And yet, even though Festus insisted on leaving, something in Bellona didn't want him to go.

She couldn't let a distraught Festus wander the streets. That wouldn't be good for the rats.

"Festus Creed," Bellona spoke sternly, "Get inside now."

-

Bellona forced Festus to wait in her room as she made them some tea, coming back as soon as she could to find him seated on her floor.

"Couldn't sleep either?" Festus asked the girl, pointing to the untouched bed. Bellona let out a sigh as she handed him some tea, joining him on the floor.

"Haven't been sleeping well lately. Why were you wandering the streets so late?" Bellona asked as she took a sip of the tea.

"The house was too quiet and I just found myself walking. Arachne lived in this building too, you know," Festus explained, looking down at the mention of the dead girl.

Of course, Bellona knew that. She often saw Arachne leaving for school around the same time she did. But the two were never close. Arachne despised Bellona and her family for being District. And Bellona didn't like boisterous Capitolists.

But Bellona couldn't tell Festus that. At least not at the moment.

"I'm sorry about Arachne. I know you were friends," Bellona said instead. Festus only chuckled.

"Don't do that. I know you hated her," Festus joked, sipping his tea.

"Doesn't mean I want her dead though."

Which wasn't exactly a lie. Bellona didn't care whether or not Arachne Crane died. But Festus clearly did and dealing with an agitated Festus was not something she wanted to have to put up with in the middle of the night.

Festus remained silent after that, drinking his tea as he looked around the room. Bellona let out a sigh as she rested her head on the side of her bed.

"Why are you looking at me? Like what you see?" Festus tried to joke, managing to crack half of a smile before frowning again.

"Not in the slightest," Bellona joked back, smiling slightly as she rested her eyes.

Maybe just for tonight, she'd allow herself to not hate Festus Creed.

-

a/n:

ayee arachne's dead !!! anyways tell me why bell and festus were lowkey kinda cute at the end there ?? don't worry tho yall, they'll go back to regularly scheduled programming next chapter !! (like i promise it's a slower burn... festus ruins it IMMEDIATELY)

also I absolutely hate my writing this chapter </3 sorry yall it's terrible

as always, thank you for reading and supporting me <3 it means sm to me that you guys care about this story !!

and if you want,,, pls go check out my lamina fic !!!

love you guys,

hannah <3