°•°

JOHANNA WAS SAT NEXT TO ARYA ON THE BEACH, her eyes moving to the tear in her suit. She scrunched up her nose as she sees the dried blood. "So, a monkey did that?" She asks as she points at the bandaged wound. Arya looks down at her stomach for a moment before nodding her head. It still hurt but there wasn't exactly any pain medications in the arena.

Arya lets out a sigh as she rubs her face a bit. "Yep." Arya mumbles, resting herself back against the sand. Johanna grimaced as she gets a peek underneath the bandage.

"Looks disgusting." Johanna admits. Arya narrows her eyes, moving them back over to the woman. She couldn't help but smile though.

"Wow, you made me feel so beautiful, JoJo." Arya replies sarcastically, shaking her head. Johanna scrunched her nose up at the nickname.

"Do not call me that." She groans, crossing her arms against her chest. Arya laughs as she turns on her side, resting her chin on the womans arm.

"You love me so I can." Arya points out with a wink. Johanna playfully glares at her. They never hung out too much but when they did, they got along with each other. Their personalities matched a lot, unlike a lot of the other victors that hung around the Capitol.

"Hm." Johanna hums, just staring at her for a moment before getting up from the sand. She brushes herself off, noticing Finnick standing alone by the water.

Johanna takes the chance to go and talk to him by himself. Although, she knew he would immediately tell her to go away. Walking over, she stops beside him and he just turns his head slowly toward her, already suspicious. "So, how's it been going?" She asks curiously, placing a hand on her hip. Finnick already knew what she was going to say and he wasnt in the mood for it.

"Can we not start this?" Finnick asks her with a sigh, rolling his eyes a little bit. Johanna fakes innocent as she tilts her head, raising an eyebrow at the man.

"Start what?"

"You drilling me and saying that I have a little crush." Finnick states with a sigh. His eyes move over to Arya who was sat next to Wesley and they were talking about something. He saw the way she smiled at the man, laughing at whatever he said. Finnick moves his eyes away, biting the inside of his cheek.

"Okay, okay." Johanna responds as she holds her hands up. But she couldnt help but smirk to herself as she found a way to rephrase the question. "So, are you or are you not completely in love with Arya?" She asks him, raising her eyebrows at him. Finnick didn't look impressed, just giving her a deadpan look.

"Johanna." He warns, his eyes glaring daggers into her. Johanna just laughs as she wasn't the least bit scared of his expression.

"It's so obvious." Johanna tells him. Anyone from a mile away could see that Finnick was infatuated with the woman. No matter how much she was rude to him.

"This is the most interaction we've had within the seven years we've known each other." Finnick points out as he just looks back at his trident. Johanna furrows her eyebrows, shrugging her shoulders as she didn't see why that was relevant at all.

It was true. Finnick and Arya only ever interacted at the yearly Capitol parties. And even then, there wasn't much of a conversation happening. Arya seemed annoyed by him, even when they had first met. Finnick saw no way of getting through to her, so he never tried. They were sometimes okay with each other, but that was only if they didn't have to interact.

"Okay?" Johanna replies, shrugging her shoulders.

"Okay, so how could I possibly be in love with her." Finnick questions, narrowing his eyes. He more just didn't want Johanna talking about this anymore. It didn't matter what his feelings were. Nothing would ever come of them anyways.

Johanna knew Finnick was stubborn. No matter how much she tried to make him admit it, he wouldn't. He seemed to just want to go through life never telling her. She knew Finnick thought Arya didn't like him. But maybe if he tried to talk to her like an actual human being instead of all the teasing and literal flirting he does, he will get through the cracked wall she put up.

"Fine." Johanna says with a sigh as she presses her lips together tightly. "But you find her pretty." She points out, gesturing her finger in his direction. Finnick looks away from her, shaking his head.

"And I find you annoying." Finnick adds, taking a deep breath. Johanna smirks widely at his words.

"Ha! You didn't deny it!" She almost screams but he slaps her arm. He didn't need the whole group looking over, especially not Arya. Finnick already saw the questionable looks Katniss sent him from the water.

Finnick would be lying if he said that he didn't find Arya attractive. But he's told her this, it wasn't exactly a secret. That didn't mean it would go anywhere though. There was a mutual attraction between them but it was solely physical. Finnick couldn't see Arya ever having a conversation with him after they left the arena. She barely talked to him alone now.

He sees that Johanna was looking at something so he follows her gaze. She was looking at Wesley and Arya. Or more so how Wesley had his arm wrapped around Aryas shoulders. Johanna saw that it made Arya wary but she must trust him if she allowed him to touch her. She was very against physical contact since she moved to the Capitol.

"Unless he makes a move before you do." Johanna points out, her eyes moving back to Finnick. His gaze was stuck on the pair, his jaw clenching slightly. But he heard what she said, his eyebrows furrowing.

"What?" He asks as he turns his head to Johanna who hides her smirk. "You think he likes her?" Finnick questions, a small frown forming on his face that he didn't even know about.

"Who wouldn't? She's hot." Johanna says with a scoff, crossing her arms against her chest. She watches as Finnick gets a certain look in his eyes as his gaze moves back to Arya and Wesley. "Don't get jealous now, Finn." She teases him, poking his side. Finnick once again glares at her, wanting to just push her in the water.

But before he can make a move, Katniss was yelling from in the water where she was with Wiress. "Guys! Come with me!" Katniss tells them, gesturing for them to go to the stone path.

Arya sighs as she slowly gets up from the sand. She could see that Wesley was about to put his hands on her in order to help her. "I can walk." She tells him sternly, not needing anyone. Wesley nods, raising his hands.

"Whatever you say, princess." He responds with a small smirk before turning to head to the stone path where everyone was already gathering. Arya holds her stomach as she starts to walk in that direction.

Finnick stops himself before getting the stone path, seeing Wesley walking away from Arya. "Why arent you with her?" Finnick asks him, furrowing his eyebrows. Wesley glances behind him, knowing he was talking about Arya.

"She said she can walk and I don't feel like getting punched." Wesley admits with a small laugh. If he tried to help her, it wouldn't end up good. Wesley starts to walk on the stone path. Finnick just waits for Arya to head over.

It didn't seem like she even noticed him when she got on, beginning to walk toward the middle. Finnick trailed behind her, glancing around a few times. They knew the careers were still alive and he didn't want to leave their backs vulnerable.

It seemed she realized there was someone behind her by the way the stones crunched. Arya was confused on who it was, so to be safe, she grabbed her dagger. She stopped in place, hearing the footsteps get closer. Finnick thought she was taking a break for her stamina. Only to have her spin around and press the dagger to his neck when he got close.

Finnick stares down at her, not moving an inch. "Just me." He tells her, seeing her relax a bit. Arya lets out a sigh as she pulls her dagger away from him.

"I thought you were in front of me." Arya admits. She hadnt noticed that he wasn't with the group in front of her. "You can go ahead." She tells him, not wanting to hold him up but he just shakes his head.

"I'm fine here." Finnick tells her, holding his trident by his side. Arya knew why he wanted to stay behind her. Which again, she didn't understand why he cared so much to get her out when he said it was just Haymitch's plan.

"Finnick, you don't have to watch over me." Arya denies, gesturing for him to go in front. Finnick doesn't move an inch though.

"I'm not. I'm walking." He responds nonchalantly. Arya stares at him for a moment, running her eyes over his expression. She bites her tongue, slowly turning back around and beginning to walk again. Arya saw that the group was almost at the cornucopia while her and Finnick were lagging behind.

She tried to pick up her pace, not missing the way she saw Finnicks hand come near her a few times. It was obvious that he was ready for her to fall.
Arya wouldn't mind that if she didn't already feel like a burden. She didn't need a babysitter. Especially when they were literally in an arena to fight to the death.

Katniss glances in the direction, deciding not to start talking until they at least got in hearing distance. Her eyes were on Finnick as the man carefully watched Arya. She bites the inside of her cheek to keep a smirk off of her face.

"This entire arena seems to be laid out like a clock. With a new threat every hour, but they all stay within their wedge." She starts to explain as they stand on the cornucopia. "It all starts with the lightening.  Then the blood rain, fog, monkeys. That's the first four hours. At 10:00 that big wave hits from over there." Katniss tells them as she points with her finger.

Finnick and Arya finally make it to the group. Peeta stretches his hand out to Arya who seemed to be having a bit of trouble. She stares at it for a moment, contemplating it in her mind. But she decides to grab it, allowing him to bring her closer to him and on a better spot on the island.

"Wiress, you're a genius." Finnick tells her as he walks past the woman, his eyes moving to Peeta and Arya. Peeta was watching Arya, glancing around to see if there's somewhere that she could sit.

"I guess I see it." Arya admits as she glances around the island with a sigh. She notices that Peeta had brought a container over to her. Arya honestly didn't know why he was being so nice to her, but she sat down nonetheless.

"Maybe if you squint enough." Wesley teases her. Arya meets his gaze, narrowing her eyes in a threatening manner.

"I will push you in." She warns, crossing her arms against her chest. Wesley smirks, rolling his eyes playfully.

"Look, the tail points to twelve." Peeta points out as he gestures to where the structure was.

"That's where the lightning strikes at noon and midnight." Katniss informs them.

"Strikes where?" Beetee asks curiously and Katniss points in the direction.

"That big tree." Katniss tells him. Beetee nods his head as he sees what she is talking about.

"Good."

"That isn't obvious at all." Arya mumbles to herself. She would think they would at least try and make it a little bit hard for them. Arya gets up from the container, Peeta lifting it in order to move it to where they were moving. She continues to walk near the supplies when her foot slips on a rock. She feels someone grab her quickly.

"I got you." Johannas voice floods her ears. Arya turns her head, smiling lightly as she meets her gaze.

"Thanks, Jo." She says and Johanna nods her head. They get to the group, Peeta having bent down so he was nearer to the ground.

Peeta draws in the sand, making two lines to signify one of the hours. "So, twelve to one, lightening.  Then one to two is blood. Then fog, then monkeys." Peeta explains to them, continuing to run his finger through the sand.

"Then ten to eleven the wave. What about everything else. Did you guys see anything?" Katniss questions as she looks at the people who weren't always with them.

"Nothing but blood." Johanna tells them with a sigh, placing her hands on her hips.

"I didn't see anything before the fog hit." Arya denies as she shrugs her shoulders. Wesley nods his head in agreement. Katniss stares at them for a moment.

"Were you just trailing us the whole time?" Katniss asks, a bit confused that they didn't see anything unless they were in the same sections since the games started.

"Yeah, you guys were not stealthy." Arya admits as she stares at them. Katniss raises her eyebrows, a small laugh leaving her lips. Peeta shakes his head, smiling as he rubs his face a bit.

"It doesn't matter. As long as we stay clear of whichever sector is active, we'll be safe." Peeta points out.

"Yeah, relatively speaking." Finnick says with a sigh. The games were always changing, who's to say they wouldn't switch things around on them?

Wiress gasps, causing them all to glance in her direction. They saw that Gloss had stabbed her. Their eyes widen as they witness it. Arya gets up from the container as Katniss shoots him in the chest with an arrow. As soon as he went down, Cashmere ran at them. Arya was so focused on her, she didn't see the man behind her.

She was suddenly tackled to the ground making her hit the stones harshly. Arya groans as she was already disoriented from her injury. Her dagger had flung away from her so now she didn't even have a weapon. "Arya!" She could hear someone shout but as she turns on her back, she sees that it was Brutus that attacked her. Just as he brings his knife down toward her, Arya grabs his arm, stopping him.

Fighting against him, she uses all the strength that she had left in her body to hold him off. Arya brings her legs up, trying to kick him away from her. Of course, her stupid wound stopped her leg from gaining the momentum it needed. See, this was what she got for joining the alliance.

The knife moved ever so closer to her but she kept it from piercing her skin. Honestly, Arya thought that someone called Brutus would have more strength than this. He was suddenly flung off of her, allowing her to have a moment to breath. "Damn." She mumbles as she looks up, seeing that it was Finnick who had gotten Brutus off of her.

Enobaria seemed to have joined her ally, attacking Finnick together. Finnick groans when one of their swords hits his arm. Katniss shot an arrow in their direction so they would take off. Peeta went to run after him but Finnick had stopped him.

Arya sat up, shaking her head. They should've had someone on guard but of course, they were more focused on the 'tick tock' of it all. Finally regaining her balance on her feet, Arya was about to walk when she felt the whole island move beneath her. She gasps as she falls back to the ground, trying to cling to the stones.

But as the island spun faster, it was hard to hold on. Arya groans as she digs her nails into the ground. She was jolted suddenly causing her hand to slip. Arya tried to keep up with one hand but it was really no use. She started to fall towards the rapid water.

A hand clasps around her wrist, pulling her against them. "I got you!" She knew it was finnick. He had been right beside her along with Peeta. Arya grips onto him, trying to gain some sort of support. Finnick had moved his full arm to wrap around her, keeping her close as they tried to last through the cycle.

Water was hitting her face causing Arya to close her eyes tightly. She tried hiding her head against finnick but it wasn't really working. Finnick hoped that it would stop soon because he felt his hand slipping off the rock that he was holding. Luckily, it had started to slow down which allowed them to actually release the breathes that they had been holding in.

As soon as the centre stopped spinning, Wesley made his way over to Finnick and Arya who were still laying on the ground. "Are you both okay?" He asks, also glancing in Peeta's direction but he was more concerned about finding Katniss.

Arya was still trying to catch her breath but she nods her head slowly. She could feel Finnick's hand still wrapped around her waist and she wasn't exactly making any effort to get it off of her. "Peachy." Arya mumbles, rolling onto her back, causing finnick to move his hand. "I think I got waterboarded." She admits, closing her eyes. Wesley laughs as he shakes his head.

"Did he get you?" Finnick asks, seemingly the only one concerned that she was nearly killed by Brutus. Arya on the other hand thought that she had an unfair disadvantage.  She was injured and he caught her off guard. Who just tackles a person?

Well, she did it to katniss. But still, she didn't think it was fair. "No, I'm good." Arya denies, bringing her eyes to Finnick with a pout on her lips. "Why did he have to go for me, man? Why not you?" She asks with a small groan. Finnick raises an eyebrow at her, a bright smile forming on his lips. It was the first time Arya thought she saw something genuine.

"Wow, such a touching thank you." Finnick responds as he sits up a bit. Arya follows in suit, wincing a bit. She shrugs her shoulders, rolling her neck a little bit.

"Eh, all you did was knock him off. Didn't even stab him." Arya points out. Finnick rolls his eyes. He didn't want to risk hurting her so he hadn't used his full strength.

"Charming." He mutters, shaking his head.

"Is Katniss okay?" Arya asks as she glances over toward the woman who was holding onto the stone path.  Johanna nods her head.

"Just dizzy." She responds. Arya tilts her head back, closing her eyes again for a moment. She could feel the blood seeping down her stomach. As her gaze moves back to her bandaged wound, she could see that it was now soaked through.

"Do you think my stitches came undone?" Arya asks them, raising an eyebrow at them. Wesley glances down at her, laughing when he realizes hie nonchalant she was being about it all.

"Maybe just a little." He says with a smirk, bending down and helping her stand up. Finnick just watches, his eyes flickering between both of them. Johanna glances toward him, watching him as he begrudgingly follows after Arya and Wesley.

She just smirks to herself as she shakes her head before walking along with him.

°•°

THEY SAT BACK ON THE BEACH, deciding to get off of the spinning death machine. "So, besides Brutus and Enobaria, who's left?" Katniss asks curiously, knowing that the other two careers were now out of the picture. Arya tilts her head up, looking toward the sky.

"Maybe Chaff. Just those three." Peeta tells her. There wasn't many people left other than their own group. Arya raises an eyebrow as she looks toward Finnick who stood beside her.

"Yeah, because someone didn't kill Brutus." She points out in an accusatory manner. Finnick was amused, meeting her gaze as she had narrowed her eyes at him.

"Says the woman who's supposed to be a killing machine." He retorts, tilting his head. Finnick crosses his arms against his chest. Arya scoffs as she shrugs her shoulders.

"Uh, I'm injured. What's your excuse?" Arya asks him, looking him up and down. Finnick rolls his eyes, knowing she was going to use that whenever he tried to say anything.

"They know they're outnumbered. I doubt they'll attack again. We're safe here on the beach." Finnick tells them, changing the subject which made Arya scrunch up her face that he had completely just ignored her.

"So what do we do? Hunt them down?" Johanna asks with a sigh, looking at the group.

"That seems like a lot of work." Arya mutters, resting her head back against the tree. She could hear Peeta chuckle beside her, shaking his head.

A girls scream caught them off guard. They look towards the woods. "Katniss, help me!" They hear someone plead. Katniss's eyes go wide as she gets up from the sand.

"Prim!" She screams, making Arya look at her. "Prim!" Katniss runs toward the woods, making everyone else get up as well.

"Katniss, katniss wait!" Finnick tries to stop her but she was already gone. Arya groans as she takes after Katniss, not realizing that most of the group was still a little far behind her.

She hears the squawking of the birds as they fly around. Arya moves through the trees until she sees Katniss stood in the centre of a small opening. As soon as she reaches her, Arya pushes her back a bit.
"Katniss, what the fuck do you think you're doing?" She snaps, glaring at the woman. Arya didnt need Katniss dying because she was dumb enough to run off. "You don't run off like that by yourself." Arya states, hitting Katniss's arm.

"I-im sorry. I just heard--" Katniss says, seemingly a bit out of it as she stares up at the sky.

"Jabberjays." Arya responds. They mimicked voices. They wouldn't really put Prim in the arena, it was only to punish Katniss. To get her alone.

"Arya!" She hears the voice echo through the trees. The voice she never thought she would hear again. Arya glances around, seeing the birds swarm above them. "Please, no! Someone help me!" The voice screams and her heart sinks in her chest. She didn't believe Snow could go any lower but he did. And this was just pissing her off even more. "Arya! Jacob!" Arya closes her eyes for a second, trying not to relive that memory.

"Ash..." She mutters, causing Katniss to glance at her. Arya took a second to breathe before meeting Katniss's gaze. "We need to move now." Arya says, grabbing Katniss and running toward the way they came. They both were trying to fend off the birds as the voices got louder and conjoined.

They saw the group in front of them, but before they could reach them, they hit a forcefield. Arya gasps as she just widens her eyes. They were trapped. At least until the hour was up. Katniss was freaking out more than she was and Peeta was trying to calm her down. "It's okay! It's not real! They're just mutts!" He assures her.

Arya bends down, placing her back on the tree behind her. She brings her knees to her chest as she hears the voices get clearer again. "Please don't! Please!" Arya closes her eyes, resting her head on her knees as she covers her ears with her hands. It didn't really do much as the birds only got louder and louder.

Snow was truly punishing her for what she did, what she said. That was the only reason her brothers death was being relived in her mind. And he knew she couldnt escape it. Maybe it was the last piece of suffering before her death. "Arya, help me!" At this moment in time, she wished that Finnick had just taken her out.

Arya was still sat in the same position, not even noticing that the birds had calmed. "Hey, hey, are you okay?" She hears someone ask her. But she just stares at the ground, her hands still covering her ears. Arya tried to rid the screams from her mind but she couldn't. For that hour, she had to just try and zone out. Not that it worked in the slightest.

Johanna, Finnick and Wesley were all crowded around her, concerned for the woman who had just been resting against a tree, her head on her knees when they found her and Katniss. "Just leave me alone." Arya mumbles, her voice quiet and fragile as she closes her eyes.

She could hear Peeta talking to Katniss, trying to reassure her. But Arya knew jabberjays copied. She didn't know whether Snow actually did something or if it was from something previous but either way, he definitely knew how to provoke them.

Finnick places his hand on her shoulder, not knowing if it would result to him getting punched but he risked it. Luckily she didn't move an inch. "Okay, they won't touch Prim, all right?" Peeta tells her, rubbing Katniss' back.  Johanna clenches her jaw as she looks at the couple.

"Your fiancée right. The whole country loves your sister. They tortured her or did anything to her, forget the districts, there would be riots in the damn Capitol." Johanna explains with a scoff,  shaking her head. "Hey, how does that sound Snow? What if we... what if we set your backyard on fire. You know you can't put everybody in here!" She screams, staring at the sky. The others just stare at her.

Well, everyone except Arya who had her eyes closed. She meets their gazes, most of them worried. "What? He can't hurt me. There's no one left that I love." Johanna tells them with a shrug, her voice cracking slightly. Katniss drops her eyes for a moment.

She sniffles as she takes a few deep breaths. Her gaze moves over to Arya who was still sat on the ground. Finnick was beside her but he wasn't saying anything. "Who's Ash?" Katniss asks after a moment of silence. She heard Arya say the name but she didn't know who she was referring to.

Arya opens her eyes, lifting her head a bit. "My little brother." She answers as she gets up from the ground, walking toward the trees. Katniss furrows her eyebrows as she looks at the others. It seemed only Wesley and Johanna weren't surprised by this information.

"I didn't know she had a brother." Katniss admits, getting up from the ground with the help of Peeta.

"Two." Wesley pipes up, his demeanour more down than before. "She had two." He mumbles as he crosses his arms against his chest.

"Had?" Peeta questions.

"That voice you heard..." Finnick saw Wesley hesitate, his eyes filling with pain. "That was her little brother Ash. He was killed in the 67th hunger games." Wesley tells them. It didn't take long to put together that the screams were from his games.

"Didn't she win when she was seventeen?" Katniss asks curiously. Johanna nods her head slowly as she crosses her arms against chest. They start heading back to the beach, Finnick leading the way.

"I guess you could do the math." Johanna says as she glances back at Katniss. She was still a bit confused since usually Snow would threaten someone who was still alive.

"Why would Snow use the voice of someone who's already dead?" Katniss questions, not understanding the meaning behind it. Arya stops near the tree line, a sigh leaving her lips.

"To torture me." Arya pipes up, making everyone come to a stop behind her. She turns around, facing them. "He's done it physically, why not psychologically as well?" She asks, laughing humourlessly as she shakes her head.

"I'm sorry." Katniss apologizes, not meaning to pry. She just thought Snow wanted to trick her like he did with Prim. But it seemed it was something different for Arya.

Sitting down on the sand, Arya rests herself back against the tree. No one really understood her. No one but Matthew. Even if she explained her past, they still thought she took it too far. But she didn't see Katniss doing that. Arya could see the woman's disliking for the Capitol, for Snow. Maybe she would understand. Because she had volunteered for Prim.

"If you're wondering why I would do anything for Matthew, for example, try and kill you--" Arya starts as she looks over at Katniss. "-- It's because he's all I have left. I won't let Snow take him too." She states. Katniss didnt really know what to say. She hadnt realized that Arya only had Matthew. But she had been a victor for a few years and clearly Snow used your loved ones as collateral.

"My mother was very young when she had me, just sixteen. My brother Jacob when she was seventeen. Ash came later to a different woman who my father barely even liked." Arya says with a sigh, remembering how the woman basically pawned Ash off on her father. She was four and still could see what a horrible woman she was.

"She was reaped when she was eighteen, killed in the arena. Leaving my father with two infants." Arya says, tilting her head back. Most people didnt know that, unless you were from her district. Because they didnt care. They only cared about who died from their own districts.

Johanna knew some of her past. Not in so much detail. But it was awful how it started at such a young age for Arya. Sure, everyone was customed to living in this world with these games and providing the Capitol, but it didn't change the fact that some people lost their family's too young.

"That was the first death in our family after my grandma." Arya says, fiddling with her fingers. She knew what everyone thought of her. Maybe this would show them that she wasn't heartless. Even though her district knew how much she suffered and they still turned their backs.

"The second, was my father. They were fixing something near the dam, it exploded and electrocuted him. Freak accident. But Snow had made them work in bad conditions, bad weather, which caused the thing to spark." Snow hadn't directly killed her father but she still blamed him. Everything that happened in the districts, you could blame on him. Because it was his fault. He didn't care about anything but providing things to the Capitol. Providing things for himself.

"The third, my brother Ash." As she listed them off, the others couldnt help but see how accustomed she'd became to it. To losing people she loved. Maybe that was why Johanna and her got along like they did. Both of them had lost so much.

"He was twelve, like Prim when he was reaped. But I couldn't volunteer for him." Arya tells them, her eyes moving to katniss as she spoke. Katniss understood that it was one male and one female. But it just made situations like Arya's that much more frustrating.

"My brother Jacob, he was fourteen at the time. And well, we saw finnick win his games just two years before at fourteen." Arya points out, brushing her hair out of her face. Finnick stares at her, a sigh leaving his lips. "So, he said he would volunteer if Ash was picked." She didn't want to lose either of her brothers. But Jacob knew he stood a better chance against the others.

"His name was said and .." Arya trailed off for a moment,  her jaw clenched. She remembered the betrayal she felt in that moment. Arya knew volunteering for a death match was hard, but watching your little brother die was harder. "Jacob just stood there and watched Ash be taken." She admits, bringing her eyes to her hands.

Arya did understand after the games. No one wanted to fight. And Jacob had been terrified. She never felt she should force him to volunteer. It just hurt that he promised her something and he broke it.
"I blamed him for a while after that. I knew it wasn't his fault but I just needed someone to blame." The person to blame was the one person that they couldn't reach. So, naturally, you blamed the people around you instead.

"Ash didn't last in the arena. He was so scared that he just stood there. Didn't run, didn't do anything." Arya watched the games, she saw her little brother standing on that pedestal. And he had stayed there. When the cannon went off, he hadn't made one move.

Ash was shaking in his place as he just watched the others kill on another. Until he was finally noticed. "An older boy, one of the careers, he walked over to Ash who started to plead for his life." Arya had to close her eyes, pressing her lips together tightly. She felt a tear escape and run down her cheek. "He just laughed." Katniss glances away from her.

Finnick remembered that exact moment.  He also knew it was that same career tribute who had come out on top. He also remembered punching him in the face the first time they met. Finnick didn't even want to think what would have happened, had the man been reaped for the third quarter quell.

Arya couldn't even describe how she felt in that moment. Watching that man laugh at her little brother for feeling afraid, for wanting to live. It was the main reason why she went for the careers first in her games. Arya could understand that's how they were brought up, but the lack of empathy was what did it for her.

"My brother couldn't handle the guilt. He couldn't handle the grief of losing most of our family." Arya admits, staring down at her hands. She saw the warning signs, she tried to get him to talk about it, to just know that she was there. But it wasnt enough. Especially with Fiona practically pushing him to do it.

Arya didnt condone murder, but if Snow had to kill one person, it would he her aunt. She hated how she made Jacob feel like he didn't deserve to be alive. Fiona didn't even care about Ash but she used it to her advantage. Arya didn't know why she pushed him, maybe she was just a sad old woman who hated her own life.

"I tried to help but he.. he took his own life." When she had found his body. She couldnt even muster up tears. There was none left in her body by that point. Arya had just stared at his lifeless body, not moving, until Matthew had found her. "He was only sixteen." Her words weren't really audible.

Arya didn't even have time to grieve her brothers death as not too long after that, the reaping ceremony happened. She wasn't even fighting it anymore. Arya was just so numb to the world that she didn't even care if she got picked. "Two weeks later I was reaped." Matthew tried to give her survival tips, tried to talk to her but she hadn't listened.

It seemed like everything was moving in one big blur. That reality had kind of moved into something that wasn't actually real. And she couldn't tell the two apart. It wasn't until she actually went up that tube, stood on that pedestal, that she came back to her senses. But all she felt was one singular emotion. Anger.

"When I went into that arena, I was so angry, so full of rage that I barely even blinked when I was in there. I took it all out on the other tributes when I knew they weren't to blame."

"I knew Snow was the one to blame. But I couldn't get to him." Arya denies. She thought that maybe if she won, she could take revenge. But she underestimated the power he held in the Capitol. "So, I killed them instead." She didn't want to kill anyone. That's what her whole district got wrong. They thought she was just some emotionless monster. But she was just a girl in pain. And if she was in pain, she wanted others to feel that way as well.

"Except for the kids." Peeta pipes up, staring at the woman. No matter how much rage she felt, it didn't seem like she could ever harm someone so young.  Arya nods her head slowly.

"When I saw that little boy in the arena..." Arya trails off for a moment, remembering the exact second she came in contact with that boy. She had almost thought it was her brother. "He reminded me so much of Ash." She says, a small smile forming on her lips.

She would have loved nothing more than to win the games for that little boy. At least his family wouldn't have to suffer the loss. "Honestly, if either of those kids would've survived to the end, I wouldve let them win." Arya admits, bringing her hands together.

No one doubted her for a moment. They saw the games. They saw how she never once made an advance to hurt either of them. "But I guess that's not how life works, huh?" She asks them, not really expecting an answer as it had become deadly quiet. Her eyes move around the group. No one was looking at her. They probably didn't want to give looks of pity.

She clears her throat, brushing her stray tears away and letting a laugh leave her lips. "Wow, that got depressing real fast. I'm gonna go walk around." Arya says as she stands up, not really wanting to sit in the awkward silence of it all.

Wesley was the most quiet of them all. But that was because he already knew all of it. And because he was reliving the memories of the 67th hunger games. Nothing would ever be able to rid his mind of the agonizing screams that left Ash as he was brutally murdered. He could barely even watch it. And the fact that it happened so quickly was what hurt him the most.

"I was his mentor." Wesley states, catching everyone's attention. They hadnt even put that together. They were feeling remorse for Arya, without even thinking that Wesley would be the mentor for that game.

Finnick thought about it for a moment and he remembered that Wesley had won the 66th Hunger games, just after him. It would've been his first year as a mentor. His first year, and he got a twelve year old boy. Finnick closes his eyes, bringing his hands to his face.

"I knew I had to be one after winning the games but... the moment I saw that little boy." Wesley felt his voice cracking as his eyes filled with tears. He couldn't think about it, he couldn't remember without completely breaking down. "I tried to help him, I did. But once you're in the arena, it's all up to you." He explains, shaking his head.

He had tried to give Ash survival tips. But how do you train a twelve year old how to fight to the death. Sure, he could avoid fighting for a long time but when it got down to those final last tributes... Wesley really couldn't see anyone other than his own siblings, allowing him to win.

"It wasn't your fault." Katniss assures him, her eyes moving to the man. She felt horrible about everything. About criticizing Arya for how she acted in her games. But she was a teenager who suffered the loss of her whole family. That would cause anyone to break and go mad.

"I was supposed to mentor Arya for her games but I just... I couldn't face her." Wesley tells them, shaking his head. He knew they were siblings and he knew Jacob had died not long before the reaping. He felt awful that he was the cause for her losing one of her family members.

"I faked an illness and had the other victor mentor her." He says, dropping his eyes. Wesley didn't know how she didn't question it, but maybe she thought they changed victors every year. "I just couldn't look her in the eyes when I knew her brother was dead." Wesley admits, his voice cracking.

No one really knew what to say to comfort him. Being a mentor, especially to a little kid, it was tough when the person you coached died in the arena. "Is that why you wanted to be allies with her?" Peeta asks him, he knew Wesley had instantly made allies with Arya when he was reaped alongside her.

Wesley nods his head slowly. "I thought I could make it up to her here by protecting her." He says, fiddling with his fingers. Wesley hoped to get her out of the arena, he thought he at least owed her that. "Look how that's turned out." Wesley mumbles with a scoff, shaking his head.

"She's alive, Wes." Johanna points out, moving her hand to place it over his. She knew he had blamed himself for years. I mean, he wouldnt? A little kid died because you werent able to mentor them. But it was really due to the unfairness in the games, nothing more.

"That's all that matters."

••••

I still don't understand why they didn't add multiple big trees in the arena to not make it so obvious. Anyways, the flashback chapter to Ash being reaped is next chapter.