TWENTY NINE

WHEN I DIE

Talia Riverthorn had thought about her life a lot, especially recently. Something her father had always said was that as long as you lived your life with honour and love, then your life was well lived. Talia knew she didn't have long left to fill her life with either of those things, the games were days away, she had one more training day, her private session and interview day and then finally, the games would begin. She'd be in another arena with 23 other Victors. She could only hope that maybe Finnick had worked out a plan, a plan to save them both. She didn't care about anyone but Finnick, he had to be safe, she could never forgive herself if-

Her thoughts were interrupted by the balcony door sliding open. Rossan. His grey eyes stare at Talia for a moment, both of them examining each other, neither of them knowing what to really make of the person before them. She looks back out at the Capitol, his eyes made her uncomfortable.

"I was wondering how you were feeling?" He says, his voice was soft but held an authority to it.

"As well as anyone in my circumstance could be doing, I guess," She replies, her voice matching his in loudness, after all, he was still holding the door open with his shoulder, and anyone inside might be able to hear them if they spoke any louder.

Finally, he steps out, allowing the glass doors to slide closed as he leans his arms on the railings, "Finnick tells me you've become close with Mellark,"

"I wouldn't describe it as close," Talia says, the corner of her eye filling with Rossan as he shifts a little closer, still leaning on the railing but looking more in her direction, his tanned fingers tapping against the metal.

"I think its smart, getting District 12 on your side," He speaks a little louder now, fingers still rasping on the metal, the sound was annoying.

"Even if you thought it was stupid, I'd probably still do it, I don't have much time for mentors, especially mentors that aren't supposed to be aiding me. Coral is my mentor," Talia retorts, turning her head to look at him properly, she takes him in with one up and down glance, thick black hair slicked back, a beard that was neatly shaved and a suit, he always wore a black three piece suit, a navy blue handkerchief sitting in the pocket, but no tie or dickie-bow. "Which games did you win?"

He chuckles slightly, "49th,"

"How old were you?"

"15," He replies, "I only killed one person, and that was the final person, and even then, I barely managed, it was a moment of pure luck,"

"I will never understand how anyone under 16 wins the games,"

"The Reaping pulled a lot of younger tributes that year, over half of them were 14 or below," Rossan says, "I don't know if that made it better or worse,"

"I've never...Heard of your games," Talia admits.

"Not many have, people always hear the fascinating story of Finnick, and they all forgot about mine," He says, "Finnick is the youngest person to ever have won a games, and how he did it makes him ever more the spectacle...The Capitol ate him up, but of course you know all about that,"

"About what?"

"The Capitol, how they took to him," Rossan says. Talia's eyebrow raises in question.

"How they took to him? How they cheered for him and admired him?"

"Not just that, how they wanted him," Rossan says, and Talia feels her chest tighten.

"Wanted him? Like...For...Sex?" Talia asks and Rossan nods.

"I'm surprised you never had the same treatment, the Capitol lived and breathed everything Talia Riverthorn for a year, everyone wanted Aldar's clothes and makeup style, everyone wanted pearls and oceans and District 4," Rossan says.

"Did...Did Finnick ever have sex with anyone from the Capitol?"

"You really don't know, do you?" Rossan asks, "President Snow sells desirable Victor's body's,"

"Forced prostitution?" Talia asks, her voice was barely there.

"Yes, Finnick was one of a few Victor's who were made to do this," Rossan says, "You see, Snow is an evil man, and he'd threaten the families of those Victor's he wanted to hurt,"

"But...Finnick has no family,"

"Annie Cresta, Mags, you, your family," Rossan says, "All targets,"

"Me? My family? How?"

"President Snow has spies everywhere dear girl, either you or Finnick were not careful and something caught slip," Rossan shrugs, "But it doesn't matter now, because he's going into an arena, and the only thing he cares about is your survival,"

"It can't end that way," Talia shakes her head, "When I die, because I will, do not let Finnick be sad. When I die, I'm not really leaving,"

"You're not going to die, Talia Riverthorn, now, come inside from the freezing cold and eat something," Rossan says, a chuckle escaping from his lips. Talia shakes her head, but does as he says, guiding the way to the dining table where everyone else already sat. Throughout the whole meal Talia couldn't keep her mind away from the fact Finnick had been forced to sell his body to these Capitol freaks. How she had complained of being a pawn of the Capitol's propaganda, and yet here Finnick was, having his body used by Capitol people because he was the winner of a game where children were forced to murder other children. And she could not even think of what age he was forced into it, after all, he was 14 when he won his games. It made Talia feel so sick she had to get up during dinner and rush to the bathroom to empty her stomach contents into the toilet. She heaved and heaved until nothing was left in her before washing her face off. She sits on the edge of the bath, breathing in the cool air of the restroom. It was another 5 minute before there was a soft knocking at the door.

"Talia? It's Finnick,"

"Its unlocked," Talia says. A few seconds and Finnick is in the room, closing the door behind him.

"Are you okay?"

"Just sick," She says, glancing to the toilet.

"Oh, that's awful, I'll get one of the Avoxes to call for a nurse," Finnick says, turning to leave. Talia's hand outstretches and grabs his wrist, tugging him back.

"Please don't," She says, "I just- I just need a moment and then I'll be fine,"

He nods, sitting against the bathtub as she was, his hand shifting to hold hers tightly. They were both stuck here, in these games, in this war.

"Rossan told me some things," Talia says softly into the low lit room.

"What things?" He asks, his voice a little shakey.

"About you...You having to sell your body," Her voice barely a whisper, his fingers flex under hers, she could sense the rooms atmosphere turn upside down in a split second.

"That wasn't for him to tell you," Finnick says, his head turning to look right away from her. She knew that if her fingers weren't so tightly wound around his then he would have let go.

"That's true, but he thought I already knew," Talia says, she squeezes his hand, "I can't imagine-"

"We don't need to talk about it-"

"I think we do, Finnick, I want to know," Talia says, "I want to know what Snow made you do so one day I can rip his throat out,"

"Talia Riverthorn, you could have done that if only you'd kept your word and stayed out of this damn games," Finnick says, he forced his hand out of hers and opens the door, "You broke my promise,"

"I know, but I couldn't stand it," She says and he shakes his head and walks away, letting the door close behind him, she sinks to the floor with tears in her eyes- finally she was crying. It was all she had wanted to do since they called her name from the bowl but she couldn't force herself. Here she was, crying for a man more broken than she could have ever imagined. Crying for Finnick Odair and his used body. Crying for all the pain President Snow had put him through. Crying for someone she loved.

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Thank you for reading and i hope you enjoyed!

~bobbybasic
❤️