Two Victors.

Dahlia held Cove as she died. Annie watched Lavender be decapitated. But Seneca Crane let the 74th Hunger Games have two fucking Victors over a handful of berries. Dahlia's not usually one to preach morals, but even she sees that the Capitol needs to get their priorities in check.

If it wasn't blatantly obvious, Dahlia Blossom was incredibly pissed off.

Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark had managed to actually beat the system. A feat no other Victor had been able to achieve. Their love story had the Capitol eating out of the palm of their hands and, if Dahlia knew it was that easy, she wouldn't have tried so hard to be a ruthless killer.

Who were they to be exceptions to the rules? Why were they both deemed worthy of survival? Cove and Lavender's deaths suddenly seemed even more unnecessary than Dahlia had initially thought. The anger she felt was not easy to dispel and she knew the other Victors felt similarly. The Capitol had never once showed mercy like that before and many in the districts saw it as weakness. Katniss had defied Snow with an act of rebellion, whether she had meant to or not. And Dahlia wanted to see if she would take this spark and run with it, or douse the flames before they got out of hand.

So far, after watching her Victory Tour, Dahlia hasn't been too impressed with The Girl On Fire. Her speech in District Eleven was heartfelt and genuine but then she turned into a mindless Capitol robot reading monotonously from a card. And Peeta wasn't much of an inspiration either.

Another reason Dahlia was growing to dislike the young couple was the way she was summoned to the Presidential Palace for a celebration of their victory. The last thing she wanted to do was praise the pair for their joint survival. It felt like rubbing salt in a fresh wound. Nevertheless, she could not refuse an invitation from Snow. Not when she'd managed to stay out of trouble for the last few years. So there she was, dressed in her usual revealing black attire and matching heels, lingering at the edge of the party with a glass of alcohol in hand.

"Don't you look freezing?" A teasing voice comments as a figure joins Dahlia on the outskirts of the dance floor. It's true, Dahlia was very underdressed for the occasion but this was the type of outfit people expected from her now. The figure hugging dress stopped near the top of her thighs to show off plenty of her legs. A keyhole cut-out on her chest and almost completely bare back ensured enough cleavage for the eyes of the Capitol. She did have thin sleeves of fabric covering her lower arms but that was the only protection she had from the chilly night air. So, yes... She was freezing.

"They dragged you along too, huh?" Dahlia quips back unethusiastically, barely turning to acknowledge the new arrival.

"You know it." Johanna grumbles, folding her arms with a huff as she tips the entire glass of alcohol down her throat. "They don't stock enough booze at these events."

Dahlia scoffs lightly to herself, "You're still new to this, Jo. The trick is to get as drunk as you can before the party starts. It's the only way to get through it."

"And why did you not tell me this before?" Johanna questions with an irked expression, glaring at the older woman out of the corner of her eye.

"I found it entertaining to watch you suffer sober." Dahlia smirks tauntingly, erupting into giggles when she receives a light whack to her arm in retaliation.

Suddenly Dahlia was whirled into a very familiar pair of arms and a protective male voice exclaims, "Hey! Don't hit my little flower!"

"Finn!" Dahlia squeals, turning around in his arms and leaping at him in delight. Finnick chuckles freely, spinning in a circle just to let Dahlia's laugh fill his ears like a beautiful melody. As he sets her back down on solid ground, the serene smile never wavers from either of their faces. "I didn't know you would be here."

"Couldn't let my favourite girl suffer through this alone." Finnick replies smoothly, grinning down at her with a golden aura. The sound of a throat clearing behind them draws the man's attention to their younger friend. "Oh, hey Jo."

Johanna stares smugly at the pair but masks it with an irritated glare. "No, no. You guys carry on. I guess I'm just invisible over here."

Dahlia and Finnick roll their eyes at Johanna's dramatics, sniggering as she dabs the fake tears from her eyes. Eventually, Dahlia grows tired of the girl's exaggerated reactions and waves a full glass of alcohol in front of her face. "Here you go. Does that make it better?" Dahlia coos mockingly with an adorable pout, like one might speak to a child.

The District Seven Victor's eyes light up at sight and her mouth drops open. "This is why you're my favourite." She exclaims happily, snatching the glass away and bounding away without a care in the world.

"You are a terrible influence on her." Finnick states in between fits of laughter, still holding Dahlia close to his side.

"I am nothing of the sort." Dahlia protests with a feigned look of offence. Although she was a few years younger than the pair and joined the Victor community later than them, Johanna had easily fit in with Dahlia and Finnick. She was blunt and outspoken, a breath of fresh air amongst the fake nicities of the Capitol. But she could never come close to the relationship the two had with each other. Nothing could ever compare to the bond between them. Johanna was convinced they were soulmates. This is another reason why Katniss and Peeta's public love affair irritated Dahlia. She wanted what they had.

A disruptive crash alerted the couple to Johanna, who had managed to stumble drunkenly into a food table right by Panem's newest Victors. Gasps of shock rippled through the crowds as Katniss and Peeta were pulled away from the commotion, numerous Capitol citizens fussing over them like they'd just witnessed a the worst atrocity known to man. Didn't those people remember how the pair became Victors in the first place?

"Have you met the Girl On Fire yet?" Finnick whispers lowly into Dahlia's ear, lips brushing the edge of her temple and leaving tingles on her skin.

"I haven't had the pleasure." Dahlia responds flatly, not displaying a great deal of interest in meeting the young girl.

"Let go of me!" Johanna's yells echo around the courtyard, drawing even more attention to herself as she fights off the hands trying to help her up. "I am perfectly capable of walking!" She stands on wobbly legs for a few seconds before immediately face-planting.

Dahlia sighs at the hopeless girl with a shake of her head. "Go help her, Finn."

"Why should I have to do it? You're the one who keeps encouraging her drinking habits!" Finnick complains, squeezing the exposed skin on the girl's waist.

"Please." Dahlia implores, staring up at the man with wide pleading eyes.

"Don't look at me like that." He groans, knowing he can't ever refuse her. She has him wrapped around her little finger and he's proud of it. She ignores his words, poking her bottom lip out to plead with him. Finnick exhales and tilts his head away from her. "Fine."

"Thank you." Dahlia replies, planting a soft kiss to Finnick's cheek to express her gratitude.

Finnick knows he's a pushover when it comes to Dahlia, but he doesn't care. He'd do anything for her. Including enduring the drunk abuse Johanna will inevitably hurl at him. "And what will you be doing while I'm stuck on babysitting duties?"

A sly smirk slides onto Dahlia's face as she answers, "I'm going to introduce myself to our Girl on Fire."

"Play nice, little flower." Finnick warns her with false strictness as amusement toys on Dahlia's features.

"I always play nice, Finn." The obvious lie slips off her tongue just as easily as the truth but her devious expression gives her true intentions away. With an unconvinced hum, Finnick reluctantly releases the girl from his grasp and watches her back away into the crowd. "Don't worry! I'll let her go in one piece."

Then she struts away with confidence in each step, dark locks bouncing behind her as she disappears from his view. Finnick cannot help the love-struck smile that had become a permanent trait whenever he was around Dahlia. Even as she mingles among the flamboyant mob, his attention is captured by her, and her only. Nothing else can compare to her simple beauty, not even the most exquisite jewels of the Capitol.

Finnick is only shaken from his daze by Johanna's slurred words reaching him across the party. She practically drapes herself across the shoulder of an unlucky Avox, loudly proclaiming to her, "You don't say very much, do you?" An exasperated sigh escapes his lips and, with a disappointed shake of the head, he heads over to the very tipsy lightweight. The things you do for the one you love...

"Miss Everdeen." Dahlia calls out, causing the two newest Victors and their escort, Effie Trinket, to turn at the newcomer's voice. "Or should I say, Mrs Mellark?" Katniss plasters on a happy grin, one that Dahlia can easily see is forced. "Congratulations on your engagement. You must be overjoyed."

The hidden malice laced through Dahlia's words causes Katniss to tense up and her smile to drop slightly. This woman clearly sees through her facade, through all the walls she's put up for the Capitol citizens. Her rehearsed mask is useless in front of a woman who knows how to perform better than anyone. 

Effie gasps in delight and doesn't waste a second to introduce her Victors, "Katniss, Peeta, this is the famed Black Dahlia." She has become familiar with being addressed by her nickname over the years, but the fear and respect in their eyes is something she would never get used to. It's easier for people to be scared of the things they can never understand. "Dahlia, this is--"

"I am well aware of who they are." Dahlia interrupts harshly, relinquishing any hint of courtesy from her voice. "The first joint winners in Hunger Games history... Must be nice for both of you to make it out alive." A rageful fire burned behind her eyes, like nothing Katniss had ever seen. It seemed the Black Dahlia was haunted by the screams of those she had lost.

"Yes, we are eternally grateful for the generosity of the Capitol." Katniss replies coldly, not bothering to feign another smile under the piercing glare of the Victor.

"I'm sure you are." Dahlia muses doubtfully, raking her eyes over the couple in judgement. They were definitely not as in love as they claimed to be, that was clear as day to Dahlia. However, they did seem to be each other's support system. Especially with the way they clung closely to each other under the invasive stares of the crowd. "But why were you given that luxury? What makes you so special, Girl on Fire?"

Katniss finds herself taken aback by the question. It was something she had often asked herself whenever she was left alone with her thoughts. What makes her so special? She's just a girl from Twelve who did what she could to survive. She never meant to rebel against the Capitol or light a spark in the hearts of the districts. Why were her and Peeta spared when there were many others who deserved it more?

"We just love each other so much. I couldn't live without Peeta." The answer she's been fed to say leaves her lips like a broken robot with only one line. Dahlia is disappointed with that response. She'd expected to converse with so much more than Snow's latest addition to the puppet show.

"You two seem to have won over the entire Capitol with your star-crossed lovers tale." Dahlia states disdainfully, watching the pair force adoring smiles at each other to keep up the act. A bitter taste settled on her tongue, envy and resentment the most prominent flavours. "But you don't fool me. And you're certainly not fooling Snow." That sets the pair on edge as they exchange horrified glances. How did she know about Snow's threat? It's easy enough for the girl to decipher what Snow wanted from them. Squash a rebellion before it can start and bring the latest Victors under his control. Dahlia had hoped and prayed, from what she'd heard, that Katniss wouldn't give in without a fight. As usual, her prayers were left unanswered. "You need to work on your acting skills if you want to survive as a Victor. Because you've done a piss poor job so far and no one in the districts is buying any of your bullshit romance. And don't think people will forget about the two of you in a few months and move on. The Hunger Games doesn't end. Ever. This is your life now. Get used to it."

The words are a harsh truth but a necessary one. They needed to be told exactly what they were getting into and Dahlia had no problem being the one to break it to them. With one last look of disdain, she pivots on her heel and takes a few steps away before pausing. Turning back around and throwing her arms out wide, she lowers her upper body into a mock bow. Katniss' eyes narrow at the obvious nod to her own training session for the Games where she pulled a similar stunt. Dahlia was trying to get under the girl's skin and, so far, it was working.

A cunning smirk tugs at the corner of Dahlia's lips at the glare she receives from the young girl. She was not affected by Katniss' attempt at intimidation in the slightest. After everything she's been through, the Girl on Fire is the least of her fears.

Scoffing at the girl tauntingly, she leaves them with her final parting words, "Welcome to the Aftermath, Katniss Everdeen." Straightening up, she slowly began to back away, never letting her dark eyes leave the newest Victor. "Enjoy your time as a slave to the Capitol."

And then she fades into the crowd like a flash of darkness amid a sea of colour, leaving the three behind in stunned silence.

"Well..." Peeta is the first to speak, clearing his throat at the awkwardness left in the Black Dahlia's wake. "She's intimidating."

Effie shudders as if she's just seen a ghost and mutters, "I've always been terrified of that one."

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